Men and Masculinity: A Different Type of Depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about 6 million American men have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder every year. Unfortunately, research also shows that men are far less likely than their female counterparts to seek help for all mental-health problems, especially depression.
Researchers and clinicians are considering that maybe the traditional signs of depression, including sadness, worthlessness, and excessive guilt, may not be representative of many men's experience of a depressive period. One study conducted by Cavanagh, Wilson, Kavanagh & Caputi (2017) examined the difference in how sadness is expressed between genders, and found that women were more likely to show visible signs of emotion, such as crying, while men proved to be exhibit more rigidity and show less emotion.
How Toxic Masculinity is Hurting Our Youth
In American culture, among many others, men may have difficulty expressing emotion which can be exacerbated by toxic masculinity – referring to actions that discourage the display of emotion in men while encouraging behavior that is stereotypically masculine in a role of control and "domination.” When a young boy grows up after absorbing the negativity portrayed by others, they often raise their own children—especially boys— the same way. Society dictates that boys be raised to believe that confidence, strength, success, and composure are the core elements of being a man, and anything “emotional” is girly or womanly, and should be stifled and ignored. Common responses to young males who experience their emotions, such as crying or complaining, include:
Don’t be such a baby!
Be a man—get over it!
Don’t cry like a girl!
Man up!
Boys don’t cry!
You throw like a girl!
You’ve likely heard these phrases directed at you or someone around you, or noticed them in storylines on TV shows and movies. Instead, we should be modeling the expression of emotion by asking what's going on, how they feel about it, and what they think can be done to alleviate the distressing experience. Research by Parent, Gobble, & Rochlen, (2018) showed that when feelings are dismissed, and gender-defining thinking is heard repeatedly, avoiding the expression of their real feelings becomes a learned behavior, leading to youth bottling up their sadness. Over time, such behavior can lead to a dysfunctional emotional expression, resulting in depression and anxiety among other disorders.
A Cycle of Depression in Men: Recognizing the Symptoms
Interestingly, research is moving in the direction of investigating and supporting the notion of a "male-based depression," meaning that it is possible that men, in fact, express their depression in different ways. Signs and symptoms of depression that may be specific to men include:
Emotional Signs of Depression
Feeling sad or angry inside but showing rage and anger to appear masculine
Increased irritability
Lack of concentration
Lack of interest at work and in family
Suicidal thoughts
Physical Signs of Depression
Fatigue
Erectile dysfunction
Escapist behavior, such as spending a lot of time at work or on sports
Lack of or decreased sleep
Increased use of substances
Risky behavior, such as reckless driving
A study by Addis & Hoffman, (2017) examined gender differences in depressive symptoms believed to be more prevalent in men, and found that the male participants suffered about twice as often as the women from anger attacks, which were defined as episodes of intense, inappropriate anger. Also, the frequency of these attacks was about three times higher in men. Psychologists and researchers are also investigating avoidance behaviors and whether men who are depressed try to hide it by overworking or engaging in harmful and risky behavior. Unfortunately, untreated depression can worsen, affecting personal and family matters. Additionally, according to NIMH, men are four more times more likely to die by suicide in the United States than women, which may result from a higher prevalence of untreated depression.
If you know someone is in need of help and may be suffering from severe depression or suicidal thoughts have them contact the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255, which is available 24 hours every day. Also, if you are looking for a therapist in Norwood, please call the William James INTERFACE Referral Service is a mental health and wellness referral Helpline available Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, at 888-244-6843 (toll free). This is a free, confidential referral service for individuals across the lifespan living in participating communities.
References:
Addis, M. E., & Hoffman, E. (2017). Men's depression and help-seeking through the lenses of gender.
Cavanagh, A., Wilson, C. J., Kavanagh, D. J., & Caputi, P. (2017). Differences in the expression of symptoms in men versus women with depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Harvard review of psychiatry, 25(1), 29-38.
Parent, M. C., Gobble, T. D., & Rochlen, A. (2018). Social media behavior, toxic masculinity, and depression. Psychology of Men & Masculinity.