The Symptoms of Men's Depression
According to recent studies, nearly 80% of American men suffer from mild to severe depression, adversely affecting their relationships with family, co-workers, and friends. Most men are so used to feeling miserable that they don't realize they're depressed until they experience a crisis (such as serial violence, emotional breakdown, or suicide attempt.). Many times a man's loved ones make allowances for what they consider typical male behavior, unwittingly enabling him to avoid dealing directly with his depression.

Physical and Emotional Symptoms of Male Depression
If you have one or more of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from depression:

• Constant sadness
• Irritability
• Hopelessness
• Trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much
• Low energy or chronic fatigue
• Feeling worthless or excessively guilty
• Significant weight gain or loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loss of interest in favorite activities, loss of libido
• Addictive or abusive behavior—gambling, alcohol, drugs, watching too much television or constant movie viewing, sex, pornography, rage, abusive to others
  

Seeking relief from depression often leads to addictions
Even after an emotional crisis or physical violence, men will resist seeking therapy or other help because they've been taught that men don't show weakness. Instead they will often try to self-medicate their depression with excessive work, extreme hobbies, drugs, alcohol, extramarital affairs, pornography, gambling, or other addictions, including something as seemingly harmless as watching TV excessively, Depression is always lurking behind the addictive behavior. Men use addictiosn as a refuge from the emotional pain caused by depression.

If you need help
Once you suspect that you're depressed, the first place to seek help is with a qualified therapist or psychologist. You're next step is to find a support group like Touchstone for Men near you. If there are none in your area, consider starting one yourself. Touchstone offers free support for men in or out of therapy. Although it's not a substitute for the hard work of therapy, Touchstone's safe group dynamics often lead members to full recovery. Groups are free to men of any age.

Contact Touchstone for Men for more information >