Men and Depression

And they need to be diagnosed. We're now beginning to realize that the myth that men don't suffer from depression as often as women is not only far off the mark, but it's an extremely dangerous one. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) men are four times more likely than women to die from suicide; it's the eighth leading cause of death for men in the U.S.

Unlike some, I don't believe that there should be a separate category for male depression, but I think that the current criteria should be expanded to include the symptoms that men are more likely to have.

Another thing to consider is that human personalities, male and female, exist on a continuum. Who's to say that there aren't also some women whose depression is being missed because their symptoms aren't classic?

Fortunately, medical professionals can use their own judgement and not rely exclusively on the DSM IV for diagnosis. Hopefully, more and more of them will do this till the depression criteria are updated to recognize that yes, men and women are different.

Books

I Don't Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression


Links

NIMH: Men and Depression
NPR: Men's Health Series, Part III: Depression