Depression in Men: 10 Symptoms to Watch Out

Amy Taylor September 13, 2013

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Depression – it isn’t only a woman’s concern. This debilitating condition chooses no gender, age and status in life. It can affect anyone at any point in life.

Not so long ago, clinical depression was considered a ‘woman’s disease’. But scientific evidences suggest that it also affects men. This myth has since then discouraged many male sufferers from recognising depression symptoms and seeking professional help. This could be one reason why the rate of depression is higher among women than men.

It can be hard to spot signs of depression in men because most of them choose to hide their emotions. Some men would appear fine although deep inside they are very troubled.  Still, no one can perfectly cover their depression. If a guy you know experiences some or all of the following symptoms, you may encourage him to see a health professional as soon as possible, as the consequences of depression are often hard to bear. These include ruined personal relationships, physical illness, and worse, suicide.

Fatigue

Men who are diagnosed with depression are more likely to report fatigue and other physical symptoms as their chief complaints.  Often, they experience chronic fatigue, which includes muscle pain, lack of energy, and psychomotor retardation or the slowing down of physical movements, speech, and thought processes.

Body pain

A lot of men don’t realise that physical pain, such as headache, muscle tension, upset stomach and back pain, is often associated with clinical depression. There’s this widespread belief that depression is none but extreme feeling of sadness. But actually, this condition affects the body as well, leading to physical symptoms that could persist for weeks, months, or even longer.

Stress and anxiety

Most men with depression often think that their symptoms are mere signs of stress. Well, stress and depression go hand in hand. Sometimes, chronic stress triggers depression and other times, it is just part of the mental illness. In a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, researchers have discovered a link between stress, anxiety and depression.

Too much or too little sleep

Sleeping problems are also common among men with depression. Some get more than the recommended 8-hour slumber but still end up feeling lethargic during the day.  Others find it hard to sleep, often waking up several times at night.

Impaired decision making skills

Just as it slows down the man’s ability to concentrate, depression can also impair his ability to make sound decisions. This can take a huge toll in his personal, social and work life.

Concentration problems

Psychomotor retardation can slow down the man’s ability to process information. All those bad thoughts and negative emotions can all impair a person’s concentration skills, making it difficult to finish even simple tasks.

Irritability, anger and hostility

If depressed women tend to show signs of helplessness, men often show irritability, anger and hostility. Depressed individuals are troubled by negative thoughts, which in turn fuel feelings of rage. They can get furious even on simple things like getting stuck in the traffic, missing the bus, waking up late, and so on.

Substance abuse

Instead of seeking professional help, a lot of men choose to deal with depression symptoms by taking prohibited drugs or drinking excessively. Research has also shown that substance abuse can lead to depression.

Sexual dysfunction

Depression is a common reason for a man’s loss of sexual desire and erectile dysfunction. However, erectile depression may also result from other medical conditions or medication use including antidepressants.

Suicidal thoughts

Suicide attempts are more common in women but suicide deaths are over four times higher in men. One reason for this is that men tend to use more lethal methods. Most of them attempt suicide using firearms, killing themselves at their first try.