This is true. Depression is hard to detect in men because men tend to hide their emotions in general when they are depressed. Often times depression comes off as anger, aggression or even irritability in men as opposed to women which tends to come off as sadness. This problem is not only societal but biological, women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men and have a higher chance of being diagnosed at an earlier age than men because women go through more hormonal changes, (woman reach puberty earlier than men). Women tend to be more in tune with emotions/emotionally intelligent than men because of our biological make up. Women tend to “contemplate’ in their depression whereas men who suffer from depression are more likely to distract themselves- this to some degree is a condition of biology- I just wanted to bring some additional background information on why depression is harder to detect in men…the problem is not only societal and maybe if more people understood this concept we could potentially increase detection of depression in men because it is even hard to detect for professionals who dedicate a lot of time and are trained for this sort of thing. My purpose was not to take away from this message but add to it.
Some factors associated with depression in men
Men who have a family member who has been diagnosed with depression
Men who have any other physical illnesses
Men who work in stressful environments
Symptoms of depression in men
Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness
Feeling anxious, restless, or “on the edge”
Loss of interest in work, family, or once-pleasurable activities
Problems with sexual desire and performance
Feeling sad, “empty,” flat, or hopeless
Not being able to concentrate or remember details
Feeling very tired, not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
Overeating or not wanting to eat at all
Thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts
Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
Inability to meet the responsibilities of work, caring for family, or other important activities
Engaging in high-risk activities
A need for alcohol or drugs
Withdrawing from family and friends or becoming isolated
This is background information primarily for men( beneficial for women who have loved ones who are men as well). Guys if you haven’t been yourself lately, or if you can relate to any of these symptoms there is a possibility that you are in the state of depression and you may need professional assistance, I hope this is helpful.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/men-and-depression/index.shtml
More info is provided in this link on the types of depression or if you have any questions feel free to message me.
ellievsbear
