Men and Depression: Signs, Symptoms, and What Makes It Unique

Everyone's experience with depression is unique. But studies of men and depression reveal some general trends in how depression affects males and females differently. The causes of depression in men and women may be similar, but they may experience different symptoms and cope in differing ways. Men, their families, and their doctors may not immediately recognize the signs that they are depressed, so they may be less inclined to seek treatment.

For these reasons, they may be less likely to be diagnosed and treated for depression and continue to suffer needlessly. These factors may influence the reportedly higher incidence of depression among females (8.7 percent) compared to males (5.3 percent) in the United States population; it's possible that men are more often undiagnosed. According to a Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry study in 2013, nearly one-third of U.S. men (30.6 percent) experience depression in their lifetimes.

Are the causes of depression in men and women different? No. Both men and women can have underlying genetics and family histories that increase their susceptibility. Depression in men and women can be triggered by stress and/or grief from setbacks and losses in life, including illness, abuse, poverty, family conflicts, and losing loved ones or jobs. Older men who retire may experience a sudden loss of routine, power, and prestige that can diminish their self-esteem and cause depression. Remember that it's possible to develop depression without anything being "wrong" in a person's life. Depression causes many similar physical symptoms in men and women such as fatigue, sleep and eating problems, chronic pains, headaches, or digestive ailments. Both genders can also experience similar feelings of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, guilt, and worthlessness.

However, our culture puts a stigma on men being emotional. Unlike women, many men are socially conditioned to bottle up their negative feelings or those that are seen as feminine. As a consequence, depressed men can become irritable, frustrated, and angry. They often deal with depression by working compulsively or engaging in rash behaviors, such as drinking too much, taking drugs, gambling, smoking, having unsafe sex, and reckless driving. They may not acknowledge that the physical ailments they are suffering—backaches, headaches, sleep problems, digestion problems, or sexual dysfunction—may be rooted in depression. Men are also three times more likely to die by suicide than women are. The way men experience depression masks it from themselves, their family, and their friends. Sometimes, even medical professionals overlook depression symptoms in men. Even if men recognize and acknowledge that they are depressed, the unfortunate stigma that depression is somehow "unmanly" can deter men from seeking treatment.

Why let depression diminish the quality of your life? Various therapies, such as talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, have brought relief to many men and helped them overcome depression and lead more fulfilling lives. Many people's symptoms are relieved by medications that adjust brain chemistry and functioning. Another option you may not have heard about is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This non-invasive, non-drug treatment uses magnetic pulses to improve brain signaling that regulates your mood. If you've already tried multiple therapies with disappointing results, TMS therapy may be right for you. As studies on men and depression have shown, they experience the same underlying condition as anyone else, but it can manifest differently. Learning what depression can look like in men, and acknowledging what you may be experiencing, is the first step to feeling yourself again.