For many years it was thought that women were more emotional than men and that depression was a “woman’s disease”. Clinical depression is often thought to be a sign of weakness and “real men” don’t suffer from emotions. In reality of course there are just as many cases of depression in men being reported as there are in women and none of these cases have anything to do with emotional weakness.

Doctors are now realizing that while depression can be called an emotion, clinical depression is actually caused by a physical condition rather than an emotional state. This explains why there are more cases of depression in men; if it’s a physical condition then of course men can have the physical problem that causes it just as much as women can.

It is probably true that there are more cases of depression in men being diagnosed because men are more prepared to come forward and seek treatment for the condition rather than just ignoring it. There is still a stigma though attached to mental and emotional illnesses but that stigma is now disappearing as people understand the disease more. There are also more options available to doctors in the treatment of depression in men which has more than likely encouraged more to come forward to seek help.

Depression in men can be effectively treated with support groups, medication and other coping methods that a doctor can prescribe to sufferers so don’t hold back if you think you are suffering. Make an appointment with your doctor and tell him exactly how you feel so he can correctly diagnose the problem. Remember, clinical depression is a physical illness that needs treating the same as any other.

You can learn more about depression in men by downloading our free ebook here.