Effects Of Depression In Men

Any person can conceivably have depression, and there's no
group or category of people who are immune to becoming
depressed. At some point it may have been generally
believed that males didn't become depressed, but this
notion is certainly false. In the United States, it's
believed that at least six million men are depressive.
While the idea that women become depressed and men don't is
wrong, there is typically a difference in the way men and
women express and deal with depression.

On the whole, depression usually goes untreated. There are
a number of potential reasons for this. Depression may
still be a poorly understood condition, and thus people
typically don't know when depression is occurring. Lack of
access could be a factor: insurance companies often limit
access to mental health care.

The belief that depression is somehow an indicator of
weakness or of insanity is still prevalent today, and this
sort of reasoning may especially resonate with men. Males
often feel a sense of obligation to be strong and
unshakable under all circumstances, and the thought of
failing at this will often cause men to feel a sense of
shame and even self-loathing. Rather than fail as a man
then, males may instead choose to suffer.

Though men may often choose suffering over help in cases of
depression, their suffering is rarely if ever silent.
Depression will always eventually be expressed in some way
or another, and this rule applies equally to men and women.
When a male vents his depressive feelings, the outcome can
be quite destructive. Men tend to turn to the old standby
of alcohol, and possibly narcotics as well, as coping
methods for emotional difficulties. The obvious potential
in using alcohol or narcotics for emotional assistance is
the development of dependency, and men are more likely than
women to report problems with addiction.

Depressive males may also become angry, possibly from the
frustration of being unwell but believing that their honor
prevents them from seeking help. When this sort of
depressive anger appears, the people closest to the
depressed male often feel it most. In extreme cases,
depressive anger can lead to acts of violence.

The reasoning then of depressed males who believe they're
better served by attempting to cope rather than seeking
intervention is poor logic at best. Depression without
intervention often leads to damaging results, with loved
ones typically feeling the brunt of the effects. Depression
with treatment leads to the restoration of good health in a
timely manner. The better choice is obvious.

About the Author:

Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance author. Find help with
depression by visiting
http://www.hubonline.biz/healthy-mood.htm or
http://www.hubonline.biz/get-better-now.htm