Depression: A Silent Battle and Help for Men

Male depression is not an easy subject to get men to talk about. With the need to feel strong and invincible, most men consider any sort of emotional or psychological problem to be a threat to their masculine self-images. Most men avoid talking about depression and would rather hide it from their families, friends, and work colleagues. Yet, male depression is a major problem among American men. About 17% of the U.S. population has some identifiable symptoms of depression within their lifetimes. Although the research shows that depression is more common in women, this is being challenged in many ways, because of the difficulty that men have with identifying and reporting symptoms of depression to their healthcare providers.

Depression is classified as a psychiatric condition that can be very debilitating. Often people think of depression as being sad, but this is a misunderstanding. Although some depressed individuals may have feelings of sadness, being sad does not mean that one is depressed. Depression is a condition that creates a disturbance in mental, emotional, and even physical functioning. The feelings associated with depression can be severe enough to interfere with work performance and personal relationships. Depression can also negatively impact self-esteem, stem from a lack of confidence, and create chronic negative emotions that influence a pessimistic outlook on life. Men who suffer with depression often report feelings of hopelessness or helplessness about how and where their lives are going.

Symptoms of male depression may look more like behavioral problems such as: aggression, alcohol or substance abuse, chronic anger, and rage. Some men withdraw and become isolated while other men may need to be a part of the party crowd all the time. A lot of men become driven at work, workaholics, and spend a lot of time focused on work-related success. Typically, depressed men do what is called "mood altering" by focusing on emotional and pain avoidant behaviors and activities. They often try not to think about their problems, stuff their emotions, or self-medicate with substances or risk taking activities in order to "not feel bad." Unchecked and untreated depression can lead to serious problems and addictions. The statistics place depression as a number one reason contributing to suicide numbers among men.

Therapy along with appropriate psychopharmacology has been suggested for treating chronic depression. Research suggests that males who seek medical and therapeutic treatment in tandem do better than men who just seek either medical treatment or psychotherapy exclusively. Medications as prescribed by a psychiatrist and taken in accordance to the doctor's orders work on the brain chemistry related to depression while psychotherapy treatments work on habitual thought patterns that may trigger depressive states of mind fueled by personal self-image problems, feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, a lack of confidence, etc. A metaphor for this may be like tying your shoes together and tripping out the door. The medication may help to improve your mental state, but therapy works on the thought habits that lead to tying your shoes together and tripping. For men seeking help, it's important to do a few things:

1. Consult with your primary care physician and discuss your depression. Ask your doctor about medications and to recommend a psychiatrist near you.
2. Talk to somebody that you trust will keep your concerns confidential.
3. Put off drinking and illicit drug use and seek professional help.
4. Stay connected to family and friends. Resist being isolated for too long.
5. Don't put off seeking help. Depression can get worse if untreated.

For additional information about how to help men with depression, please visit: http://www.innermanpsychology.com. Daniel P. David, PhD was educated in psychodynamic psychotherapy at the University of Oxford (England), and he has successfully helped men of all ages to experience positive changes in their lives for more than 25 years.

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