Causes, Types, and Signs of Depression in Men

Depression in men affects a surprisingly large number of people. This is surprising because unlike women, who often exhibit sadness when depressed, men appear to be angry or aggressive. This unusual behavior often is not recognized by their friends and families as a depressive symptom.

Feeling sad or irritable, and having difficulty sleeping on occasion is perfectly normal. These uncomfortable feelings pass in less than a week. However, depression in men is a fairly common and serious mood disorder with several possibly severe symptoms. Along with the mental and physical capacity to handle routine activities, depression also affects how we feel and think.

Should you or a man you know have these symptoms for longer than two weeks there is a possibility that they have depression. While depressive symptoms will vary according to each individual, men with depression often hide their emotions. They may, however, may be unable to effectively hide seeming irritable, angry or aggressive, tired, and losing interest in their work, family, or hobbies.

Mental health symptoms sometimes appear as physical issues such as a racing pulse, a tight chest, ongoing headaches, and digestive issues. Often it is these physical symptoms rather than emotional battles that will lead men to seek professional help. Men may look to fill these misunderstood emotional voids with drug or alcohol use, and should they attempt suicide, they are more often successful as they tend to use more lethal methods.

There is no age limit to depression in men. It can affect anyone. Fortunately, with correct treatment, the vast majority of men can recover and regain their interest in their families, work, and passions.

Signs of depression in men

Some common signs of depression in men are:

• Feeling sad, without motivation, or hopeless
• Not being able to concentrate or remember details
• Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness
• Feeling anxious, restless, or on edge
• A lack of interest in family, work, and previous passions
• Problems with sexual desire and performance
• Feeling tired but not able to sleep, or sleeping too much
• Overeating or not wanting to eat
• Physical body aches, headaches
• Inability to meet the responsibilities of work, fulfilling family responsibilities, or other important activities
• The self-directed need for alcohol and drugs
• Isolating themselves from family and friends

Knowing the difference between types of depression

Major depression is characterized by its interference with a man’s ability to enjoy most parts of his life, including work, sleep, study, and diet. It is seen that a major episode will sometimes only occur once in a person’s lifetime. It is possible that others can have several episodes.

The variants of major depression are psychotic depression, which is a severe depression linked to delusions or hallucinations. In this case, a man may believe he is sick or poor when he is not or may hear fictional voices saying he is worthless.

Within psychotic depression, there are some variants. These include seasonal affective disorder (depression symptoms that appear each year during winter months when there is less natural sunlight), persistent depressive disorder (PDD) (not as severe symptoms that are longer-lasting), and minor depression (which is similar to major depression and PDD, however, symptoms are less severe and may not last as long).

Bipolar Disorder has some similarities with depression, in that the patient experiences low moods. It differs, however in that they also have some extreme high moods known as mania.

What causes depression in men?

As one of the more common mental disorders, research studies suggest that depression is caused by a combination of risk factors, including genetic factions (also known as a family history), environmental stress (such as financial problems, the loss of a loved one, major life changes, work problem and the like), and illness (depressive symptoms are normally seen if the illness is serious such as diabetes, heart disease or Parkinson’s disease).

Treating depression

As men often hide their feelings and avoid addressing them, friends and family are the first to recognize that a man is depressed. During this time, they support and encourage him to get an evaluation. Having a professional do an exam or lab test will narrow down the diagnosis and will also determine if certain medications are affecting the desired profession.

A complete history of symptoms, such as when they started, how long they have lasted, the severity, and if they have ever occurred before now are all important for the doctor to know. Efforts of self-medication through alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, gambling, or other high-risk activities should be clearly communicated.

Once the diagnosis is successful, a professional will recommend a treatment plan that can include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of these two options. An approach that combines physical and behavioral health care is becoming more popular and will involve a team of health care providers and managers, including a primary care doctor and specialist.

Medication.

The types of medication used to treat depression are called antidepressants, and as a rule, they work well after establishing themselves in the patient within several weeks. Men are therefore reminded to not only take their medication and give it the best chance of success through adequate sleep, and a healthy diet but be prepared to take the medication for a few months at least.

Antidepressants can have several side effects, including difficulty sleeping and nervousness, sexual problems, agitation or restlessness, and headaches. While most of these side effects reduce in time it is important to keep your doctor up to date with any side effects you may have. To help minimize adverse effects, antidepressant medication is sometimes started at a low dose and gradually increased to a full therapeutic dose.

While taking antidepressants is safe and effective for most people, they may present serious risks for others, especially children, teens, and young adults.

Studies show that patients within these groups, should they become agitated soon after taking the medication and before it has had a chance to work to its full effect, may have suicidal thoughts or the risk to attempt suicide may increase. This is why a close eye should be kept on anyone taking antidepressants, especially in the initial stages.

Still, the risk of not taking the medication far outweighs those of taking it under supervision. There are occasions when, if a man does not respond well to a particular medication, his doctor may suggest another.

A key consideration when taking antidepressants is to not stop taking them without the help of a doctor. Should a patient feel better and stop the course on their own, the depression often returns. At the appropriate time, normally after six or twelve months, the doctor will help you to slowly and safely decrease the dose.

Psychotherapy.

It is established that several types of psychotherapy or talk therapy help to treat depression, with some being found just as effective as medication. Therapy helps considerably by teaching new manners and techniques of thinking and behaving.

Being able to change habits that contributed to the onset of depression can be an example of this. Difficult situations or relationships that may be at the root of the depression or worsening it can also be worked through during therapy.

Treatment for depression should be personalized. Some men may try therapy first and add antidepressant medication later if it is needed, some begin both at the same time. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), and problem-solving therapy are examples of evidence-based talk therapy treatments for depression.

Helping someone who is depressed

Remember that someone with depression cannot snap out of it or just get over it. He may well not recognize his symptoms as needing medical help so be sure to emphasize the physical symptoms of their depression, such as feeling washed out or extremely tired. You may need to find an appropriate health professional and make the appointment.

Christian counseling for depression in men

If you’re looking for additional help for depression beyond this article, please browse our online counselor directory or contact our office to schedule an appointment. We would be honored to walk with you toward a place of healing and hope.