Depression in Men

Depressed men are less likely then women to talk about their depression.
Estimate is that at least six million men in the United States suffer from depression.

Men are more rarely diagnosed with depression than women. The standard symptoms of depression are similar for both men and women, but men experience depression and cope with the symptoms differently. Women make more suicide attempts than men, but four times as many men as women die by suicide using more lethal methods. Men more often abuse drugs and alcohol and act out aggressively. Some of them feel angry, irritable, blame others and create conflicts.

Men usually less than women seek help for depression. They often don't realize that some physical symptoms such as chronic pain or headaches can be associated with depression. Men also deny being vulnerable and labeled with diagnosis of mental illness. Most of the time men seek help and get treatment when pressured by family members and friends.

Men between the ages of 35 and 55 experience andropause or midlife crisis characterized by decreased testosterone levels. Many men in this age will experience difficulties with erections, decrease in sex drive, fatigue, increased irritability and depression.