Most men are taught in their early ages that, a man doesn’t cry, you have to be strong, showing your emotions makes you weak!
That even society has accepted men behaving in anger, frustration, aggression, irritability as “masculine norms”.
Unfortunately, we have seen a number of men committing suicide because of such mentality and because depression doesnt have a face, even the signs are often missed.
Medical News Today says, although the depression is the same but sometime the symptoms between men and women can be different, sometimes, “men may have a higher tendency than women to feel anger, demonstrate aggressive feelings, and engage in substance abuse”
In addition, because most men don’t talk or express a lot about how they feel it is often likely for them to have undiagnosed depression.
Some behavioral signs that you can look out for in men according to MDT are as follows:
- drinking more or taking drugs.
- avoiding family or social situations.
- working obsessively without taking proper breaks.
- finding it hard to keep up with work or family responsibilities.
- becoming more controlling or abusive in relationships.
- engaging in risk-taking behavior, such as gambling or unsafe sex.
- attempting suicide.
- Aggression.
Health experts from Health Line say, they have discovered that there is a lot of cultural and social stigma especially for men with depression, to a point where some men would rather take up more work or occupy their time with something else other than addressing depression.
According to experts, there are ways a man can be helped after diagnosis and can undergo a treatment process according to how severe their depression is.
In as much as It’s sometimes thought for a man to be a head of the family, to take care of their partners, sisters and children. They shouldn’t forget to put themselves first and their well-being, because in order to be great for others it starts with you.
According to HealthDirect if you start feeling like:
- you are not important or valuable (low self-esteem).
- people would be better off without you.
- life is not worth living.
- your life is not enjoyable.
- People have high expectations of you.
- You feel like you’re not doing your duty as a man.
Communicate your feelings to those close to you and seek help.
Also see: How to help yourself through depression
