Depression in men is quickly becoming as serious an issue for millions of males as prostate or pancreatic cancer. It is such a dire issue that June has become Men’s Mental Health Month, a time of the year to recognize that men are prone to mental ailments, too. And, considering that the suicide rate for men is three times higher than the rate for women, it’s about time.
Depression is triggered by chemicals in the brain, but societal factors can send men into a downward spiral, too. The important thing is to identify the signs of depression as soon as you can and get licensed therapy treatment. Unfortunately, detecting the signs of depression can be difficult because it might be considered a bad day – eventually, those bad days compound and metastasize into something serious.
So, what signs of depression should you look out for? Here are the 10 warning signs of depression in men:
Sign #1: Losing Interest in Life
Apathy is one of the biggest warning signs of depression in men. For years, he was interested in every aspect of life – work, love, interests, and everything in between. He was the rare person who woke up excited to start his day. He loved everything life had to offer. Lately, however, has been a different story. It is difficult for him to show an interest in anything, from their job to their passion for sports to their relationship with their significant other and kids.
This is one of the first signs of depression.
Sign #2: Expressing How Worthless They Are
A subtle cry for help is another sign of depression in men. You recently had a conversation with your friend, and, out of the blue, he started talking about how worthless he is. It has shocked you because for years he had always been confident, strong, and prepared for anything. But today is a different story: he cannot muster up two positive words about himself. And that is concerning.
Sign #3: Feeling Imprisoned
Indeed, you don’t need to be put in prison to feel like you’re in jail. It is common for many of us to feel trapped and imprisoned within our own lives, especially when something life-changing has happened in your life, such as a marriage, kids, or a new house.
While these are exciting developments, they can feel overwhelming, like bags of potatoes over your neck. And, since men are still the primary breadwinners, it can be a stressful endeavour feeding multiple mouths and paying a monster mortgage.
Sign #4: Extreme Mood Swings
Are you friends with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? It feels like it whenever your around him.
One moment he is jovial, kind, and optimistic. The next he is downtrodden, morose, and angry. You would like to chalk it up to moodiness, but that will not suffice because the mood swings are more frequent and severe. Yes, we are all moody, but the immense gap is noticeable.
Sign #5: Talking About Death – Intimately or in Passing
Death does cross our minds once in a while. The reminder that we are mortal beings and that one day we will vanish from this planet is quite terrifying. Indeed, knowing you’ll never drink a Tim Horton’s coffee again is truly frightening.
However, if he is beginning to discuss death out of nowhere, either intimately or in passing, then it could be the signs of depression. Should your friend, family member, or significant other begin to muse on their mortality, then be sure to ask some follow-up questions about what they feel and think.
Sign #6: Blaming Others for Personal Failures
Let’s be honest: we live in a society where blaming others for our own hiccups is virtuous. Despite being responsible for all of our actions, we enjoy passing the buck because it omits us from personal responsibility. That said, constant blaming somebody else could be a signal of something deeper, especially if this is a complete 180 from his previous behaviour.
Sign #7: Becoming Isolated
Isolation is one of the major signs of depression in men.
Someone could go from being a social butterfly to being a hermit – even in the middle of summer! Unfortunately, being isolated may not exactly be healthy – physically or mentally – because this is a cue of him being dejected, unhappy, disinterested, and morose, which are the hallmarks of depression.
Sign #8: Participating in High-Risk Activities
Jumping out of airplanes, driving fast cars, going bungee jumping, and hiking mountains. This may seem like items on a bucket list, but these high-risk activities could be the start of someone feeling like their life is coming to an end, or their life has been wasted. Depression can make you have the worst types of thoughts that can then transition you into participating in high-risk affairs.
Sign #9: No Desire for Sex
Sexual intercourse, or even intimacy, is one of the first casualties of men’s depression. The desire to show your love or the urge to be close to someone else vanishes when you’re depressed. This can weigh on any marriage because, whether we like to admit it or not, sex remains an important part of relationships.
Sign #10: Poor Lifestyle Choices
Depression can be triggered and even exacerbated by horrendous lifestyle choices. From junk food prevalence to heightened alcohol consumption to experiments with illicit drugs, men who are depressed will often have these in their lives, or their mental health is worsened by these everyday decisions.
Living with depression is not easy; seeing someone you care about have it is also not easy. Therapy, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle changes, and a hiatus from life are all potential remedies to either limiting depression or eliminating it entirely. Depression has its consequences. When you notice any signs of depression in men, don’t delay treatment any longer.
