Mental Health Monday: Men And Depression

What do a firefighter, police officer, US Air Force First Sergeant, college graduate and publisher have in common? They are all male and they have all suffered from serious depression. 

It’s estimated that up to 6 million American men have depression each year – about half the figure for women. But this gender disparity is being questioned, in the US and elsewhere. In focus groups conducted by the NIMH, “men described their own symptoms of depression without realizing they were depressed.” They made no connection between their mental health and physical symptoms, such as headaches, 

 “In men, mental illness can be masked. We’ve known for decades that women are more apt to recognize illness of any sort and go to their doctor. This doesn’t mean women are healthier, but that some men just repress it. We believe a lot of somatization [symptoms] in men, for example, migraines, back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, is rooted in depression.”

The consequences of masked depression can be devastating. “Too many men out there are suffering,” says Dr. Myers. “They’re acting out the depression.” Acting may take the form of hostility and irritability; verbal violence and abusiveness; drinking to excess; or womanizing. 

“In cases of marital breakup, there is a very important link between the man’s mental health and how the divorce goes,” continues Dr. Myers, who is the director of the Marital Therapy Clinic at St Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. He says that when children are involved, and an ongoing relationship is maintained, the father better adapts to his changed circumstances. “If there’s a complete severing, then men can become suicidal.”

Along with genetics and stress, MaleHealth.com points out that social and psychological factors can contribute to men’s depression. Men’s focus on competition and feeling powerful can be adversely affected by unemployment and the presence of women in the workplace. Physical illness, in particular a life-threatening condition, is another trigger for depression, since it directly impacts a man’s sense of strength and status.

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This post was written by Blackburn Media