Warning Signs of Depression in Men
This article is part of Why So Many Men with Depression Go Untreated & What to Do About It, News & Views, News & Views Summer 2015.
When men are depressed, they often exhibit symptoms different from those of women:
- Rather than appearing sad, men may become irritable, angry, or aggressive.
- They may focus on physical symptoms, such as headaches, back pain, digestive problems, erectile dysfunction, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
- Men are more likely to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs.
- They may also try to escape from their feelings and isolate themselves by working long hours or watching endless sports on TV.
- Men are more likely to indulge in risky behavior, such as reckless driving.
- While men may not attempt suicide as often as women, if they do, they’re four times more likely to succeed.
Psychiatrists Dr. Norman Sussman and Dr. Patrick Ying employ different approaches, though both are highly effective, to treating patients with severe depression: medication and electroconvulsive therapy, respectively.
