What You May Really Have: Depression

Like many men, you may think it is not “manly” to express feeling and emotions, and instead you try to suppress them. In order to deny or ignore your feelings (especially ones associated with depression), you may turn to abusing alcohol or other substances to cope.

Male depression is a serious medical condition, but many men try to ignore it or refuse treatment. Male symptoms include: violent or abusive behavior, inappropriate rage, escapist behavior, reckless behavior, alcohol or substance abuse, sexual liaisons, and more frequent thoughts of suicide. Having these kinds of symptoms make it difficult to link them to depression, and making diagnosis and treatment harder.

What to Know: Many effective treatments are available for depression, so don’t try to tough out male depression on your own. The consequences may be devastating.

Make a Plan: Call your doctor for an appointment to discuss your symptoms, especially your emotions and feelings. Being open and honest about what you are experiencing can help you get properly diagnosed and treated.