Depression and men
It has been suggested that depression in men may be under diagnosed because men present different symptoms to their GP’s. Men are often less likely than women to acknowledge difficult emotions. Men sometimes turn to alcohol or aggression to mask depressive feelings. Though depression in men is less common than in women, suicide in men is several times greater than that in women. British men are three times more likely than British women to die by suicide and suicide remains the most common cause of death in men under the age of 35.
Common symptoms of depression include:
- Loss of energy
- Persistent sadness
- Loss of self confidence or self esteem
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Being unable to enjoy things that are normally pleasurable or interesting
- Undue feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
- Sleeping problems – too much sleep or too little
- Avoiding people / distancing oneself from others
- Loss of appetite
- Self harm
- Using more alcohol or drugs than usual
- Crying, sometimes inexplicably
- Losing interest in life / feeling unmotivated
- Not coping with things that used to be manageable
- Feeling restless or impatient / a general sense of boredom
- Being preoccupied with negative thoughts
- Having a bleak, pessimistic view of the future / a feeling of pointlessness
- Losing interest in sex or intimacy
- Thinking about death or suicide
Treatment of depression
Depression is a treatable illness and is normally managed in one of two ways: through talking through difficult feelings and experiences with a professional counsellor or psychotherapist and through medication. Your GP can help you decide which treatment may be most suitable to your personal circumstances. Some people prefer both treatments simultaneously – counselling in conjunction with anti-depressant medication. If depression is interfering with your quality of life, or if you have had feelings of pointlessness or thoughts of harming yourself, speak to your GP or make an appointment with a qualified counsellor or psychotherapist. Discussions in counselling are confidential and speaking to someone could be the first step towards getting beyond the grip of depression. Most therapists have a great deal of experience in helping people with depression.
previous page next page
|