Depression in men an underdiagnosed epidemic?

Why is depression in men often not diagnosed?

There are a large number of people who have not received a diagnosis of depression in both men and women. However, men are much more likely to not get a diagnosis.

Men often report more physical symptoms such as sleep problems or aggression. There may be an increase in risk-taking behavior or substance abuse. This leads doctors to view anger as a personality trait rather than a sign of depression.

Often men talk about physical symptoms like headache, chest tightness, fatigue, sleep problems, loss of appetite, digestion, libido or they talk about feeling hopeless and irritable. They may feel that it would be less “masculine” to express emotional lows or sadness, as opposed to descriptions of the way women feel. Often men may engage in self-destructive behavior, or even reprimand them, as an attempt to hide the depression.

Men may also discuss the following:

*Working obsessively without taking proper breaks, they feel more “in control”

*Difficulty in carrying out work or family responsibilities

*Becoming more obsessive or controlling in relationships

*gaming or engaging in unprotected sex

*Loss of pleasure in activities that are usually pleasurable

* Concentration problem

We must realize that depression is more common in women, but the number of men who die by suicide is almost four times higher than that of women. One reason may be that men are less likely to develop depression and we all know that depression is a major risk factor for suicide.

What can be done?

Educate, educate, educate! We all need to be aware of the fact that men tend to get depressed, and their manifestations differ from those of women.

We need to accept that asking for help for depression is not a sign of weakness or being sacrosanct.

We need to realize that there is a huge genetic component associated with depression so it is up to the interviewer to take a proper history.

We need to start treatment, medication and therapy immediately and not expect the person to “grow out of it”.

We need to dispel the myths associated with taking medicine.

Furthermore, we need to stop being Google doctors who believe that their two hours of Google research has put them on par with medical graduates who have put in many years of learning and experience.

In the end, men need to take care of themselves and do everything they can to take care of their mental health!

As Henry Longfellow once rightly said, “Every man has his secret sorrows which the world does not know; and often we call a man cold when he is only sad”.

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