Symptoms of Depression in Men

Depression is a severe mental health condition that impacts how you feel, think, and perform daily activities. Often, depression is difficult to diagnose in men due to social conditioning. Men are taught to be tough since childhood, and that stops them from seeking help when they feel sad and weepy.

Depression affects almost 1 in 8 men. The symptoms of depression in men and women are often different due to there social conditioning. Here, we will discuss the physical, emotional, and mental symptoms of depression in men. We will also help you identify the behavioural signs of this mental health condition.

Physical Symptomsof Depression

Men often notice the physical symptoms. Depression can cause significant changes in your body. Some of these physical symptoms are as follows:

• Tightness in the chest

• Gastrointestinal issues like bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea

• Erectile dysfunction and reduced libido

• Headache

• Low testosterone

• Pain

• Heart palpitation

• Sudden weight loss/gain

Mental Symptoms of Depression

The mental symptoms of depression in men are as follows:

• Lack of focus and concentration

• Memory loss

• Anxiety issues

• Intrusive thoughts

• Obsessive-compulsive thoughts

• Sleep problems like insomnia or too much sleep

• Suicidal thoughts

Emotional Symptoms of Depression

Depression in men is not usually expressed through sadness. Strangely, anger could be a sign of depression in men. Some of the other symptoms are as follows:

• Aggression

• Violent behaviour

• Isolating oneself from friends and family

• Feeling of hopelessness

• Poor libido

• Restlessness

• Losing interest in things they loved earlier

Behavioural Signs

The behaviour of a man may change drastically due to depression. Here are some signs to identify depression in men based on their behaviour.

• Unable to meet commitments at the workplace

• Social withdrawal

• Drug abuse

• Alcoholism

• Engaging in risky activities like rash driving

• Excess libido or no libido

• Suicidal attempts

Why Can Depression Go Undiagnosed in Men?

Social conditioning plays an important role in the lack of diagnosis of depression in men. Boys are taught not to express their emotional weakness since childhood. As a result, most men never express their emotional turmoil or discuss their problems with anyone. Even though society is changing and a lot of men are coming forward to discuss mental health issues, a man who cries or visits a therapist is still considered a taboo. Unless this thought is changes, diagnosing depression in men will continue to be difficult.