Depression in Men : Silent Suffering

The image of the man as the strong, silent type, while a
comforting one to many, is probably the biggest reason that
men who suffer from depression tend to suffer in silence,
never seeking the correct treatment they need to pull
themselves out of the emotional doldrums that weigh on
their heart and mind, and very likely also do irreversible
damage to their physical health.

You see, the mind-body connection is a very powerful one,
and most people don't realize just how powerful until they
experience severe depression and realize that suddenly
their body feels fatigued, and they tend to get sick more
often. Men who suffer from depression in silence are
risking their emotional well being as well as their
physical wellness for reasons that range from pride to
genuine lack of knowledge about what depression actually is.

It is estimated that up to 60% of the men who suffer a
genuine period of depression do not seek the professional
or alternative medical help that they need to help restore
their mental health. And yet, in contrast, a much higher
percentage of women are reported to receive counseling
and/or treatment for depression.

A lot of men who have finally "come out" about going
through periods of depression in their life cite the fact
that they had a fear that people would perceive them as
weak and unable to cope with the stressors in their life,
especially if they were viewed as the "provider" in the
family, or if they held a big corporate job that was viewed
with respect.

Men do seem to suffer depression a little differently than
women, at least outwardly. The symptoms to look for in men
who may be depressed are a sudden rash of lashing out
verbally, intolerance for things they usually have a
tolerance for, lack of interest in activities they once
used to love doing, and an apparent loss of motivation or
self confidence.

Since men do not often open up about their feelings (at
least this seems to be the norm), or do not actually
acknowledge their feelings to themselves, they are much
more likely to internalize their depression, which can only
make it worse, and can eventually turn a man to suicidal
thoughts if left untreated, depending on the severity of
the depression.

If you have a loved one who you think may be suffering from
depression, and he is either in denial or seems to be
afraid to admit that something may be wrong, try to let
them know you are open to talking, and that you will not
pass judgment in any way on them for opening up about their
feelings. You may be surprised at the response you get.

The estimation for the national average of depression in
women vs. depression in men differs significantly, but
researchers and gatherers of this information are unclear
whether it is just diagnosed and treated this much more
often in women than in men, or if there is truly a gender
discrepancy in the frequency of depression occurrence
between men and women.

It is possible that women may naturally be more susceptible
to depression and anxiety due to hormonal complications in
the body, but at the same time, researchers are not quick
to dismiss the fact that men may suffer almost equally, but
just don't get the treatment they need because they fear
the societal perception.

In some focus groups conducted, men who were describing
symptoms that are commonly associated with clinical
depression, such as fatigue, chronic pain, sleeplessness,
sleeping too much, irritability and other physical
manifestations of depression, were not aware that these
symptoms were closely associated to the mental state of
depression.

As far as differing levels of depression, men typically are
prone to suffer the same forms of depression as women.
Those forms are the always-referred to and oft coined
"bipolar disorder" which usually is defined by mood swings,
and tendencies to do everything to the extreme, with no
stable in-between moods to balance things out.

Another is "major depressive disorder" which profoundly
affects the person, rendering them virtually powerless as
it can affect everything you do, your job, your focus,
concentration, and interactions with other people. It can
become so severe that one can feel incapacitated by their
own mind.

Then, there is another form of depression called "dysthymic
disorder" which is not as crippling as major depressive
disorder, but may come in waves and varying ranges of
severity and temporarily disable one's ability to feel joy,
our God-given birthright, and the reason that we are all
here on earth.

This form of depression, if left untreated, can put the
patient through rounds of agonizing depression followed by
periods of normalcy, so it may be more difficult to nail
this one down and diagnose and treat it.

----------------------------------------------------
Danna Schneider is the founder of
http://www.herbalnewsmagazine.com/herbal-remedies-for-depres
sion-and-anxiety/ and
http://www.herbal-therapeutics.com/natural-depression-remedy
.html , where news and suggestions on new natural ways to
combat depression and anxiety can be found as well as tips
to live a healthier, happier life through natural
supplementation and lifestyle choices.