Men & Depression (Just doesn't sound right, does it?)

Are men playing down their depression?The Mercury. Goodlife Supplement, 20 September 2005 reference: related web-link
Life Reporter.The Mercury. Goodlife supplement9 October 2005
Are women more likely to suffer from depression than men, or are men simply not open about their sufferings? Major depression is twice as common in women as it is in men, according to statistics, and women dominate in nearly all the anxiety disorders.
A number of theories have been postulated to explain the uneven distribution. Some experts believe it is connected to the hormonal imbalances in women, while others believe men are merely under-reporting their experiences.
“Females do tend to come into contact with health professionals more often than men do,” says Dr Dora Wynchank, a Johannesburg-based psychiatrist.
“Women are socialised into seeking help more readily. Both of these factors could influence the gender differences reflected in the statistics,” she says.
According to the Depression and Anxiety Support Group, studies suggest that doctors miss the diagnosis of depression in men 70% of the time.
Many men try to hide their condition, thinking it unmanly or weak to act moody or sad. Another reason it stays hidden is that men tend to express depression differently than women.
Research has shown that women internalise their distress, and are more likely to talk about their pain and reach out for help, whereas men externalise their distress, have less tolerance for internal pain and turn to some action or substance for relief.
In other words, men are more likely to act out their inner turmoil, while women are more likely to turn their feelings inward.
Conflict
According to the book, Male Menopause, by Jed Diamond, the following are some examples of how female and male depression may differ:
Female depression: Blames herself, feels sad, apathetic and worthless, avoids conflicts at all costs, withdraws when feelings are hurt, has trouble with self respect, sleeps too much.
Male depression: Feels others are to blame, feels angry, irritable and ego inflated, creates conflict, attacks when feelings are hurt, demands respect from others, sleeps too little.
In focus groups conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States, to assess depression awareness, men described their own symptoms of depression without realising they were depressed.
Most notably was that many men were unaware that physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain can be associated with depression.
In addition, these men expressed concern about seeing a mental health professional or going to a mental health clinic, thinking people would find out and this could have a negative impact on their job security, promotion potential and health insurance benefits.
Men may develop different ways of coping with the symptoms of depression. They may be more willing to acknowledge fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in work or hobbies and sleep disturbances rather than feelings of sadness, worthlessness and excessive guilt.
According to Terence Real, co-director of the Gender Research Project at the Family Institute of Cambridge, the causes of depression differ in men and women, as well.
While depressed women often feel disempowered, depressed men feel disconnected, from their needs and from others. This begins in childhood, as society teaches boys early on to pull away from their mothers, their emotions and their vulnerabilities.
Reconnection is the key. Treatment first requires resolving the violent or self-medicating behaviours – the affair, the drinking or the workaholism – so the underlying condition can be grappled with.
Another problem being experienced is instead of acknowledging their feelings, asking for help or seeking appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed, or become frustrated, discouraged, angry, irritable and sometimes violently abusive.
Some men deal with depression by throwing themselves compulsively into their work, attempting to hide their depression from themselves, family and friends.
Other men may react to depression by engaging in reckless behaviour, taking risks and putting themselves at harm. Often men are self-medicating with illegal drugs and alcohol to treat an underlying depression, anxiety or personality disorder which has not yet received adequate treatment, explains Dr Westmore, a Bloemfontein psychiatrist.
Contact your family doctor if you suspect that you or a loved one may be suffering from depression, or if you have overwhelming emotional or unexplained physical symptoms. Your GP will be able to make a diagnosis or refer you to a specialist, who will then recommend the right treatment.