Young boys are so used to hearing phrases like ‘be a man’ or ‘don’t cry like a girl’. But depression doesn’t discriminate between men and women – it affects everyone, and it’s time we talked about it.

 

Untreated depression has emerged as an underlying condition in many cases of suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men are 3-4 times more likely to commit suicide than women. So let’s first learn how to notice depression in men, because the signs and symptoms may vary between men and women.

 

Depression in men commonly manifests in the following ways:

 

Feelings of anger, irritability or aggressiveness 

Many women show signs of depression with sadness, but men in depression often display aggressive behavior. If you notice a friend frequently acting more irritable than usual, make sure you address it and if necessary, point them in the direction of help.

 

Changes in sleep patterns

This can go either way – men suffering from depression either have a hard time sleeping or sleep more than usual.

 

Losing interest

If someone you know seems to be losing interest in things like work, family, friends, sex, or other activities they once enjoyed, they may be suffering from depression

Take part in high-risk activities

Research suggests that there is direct correlation between depression in men and over dependence on drugs and alcohol

 

 

 

Many men will experience only a few of these symptoms, but it is important to recognize them when you see it. Depression is a serious issue, and must be professionally addressed at the earliest. So make sure your loved ones are in good care by always keeping a close look out for these symptoms.