Post Date December, 03 2023
Melancholia is often regarded as a feminized disease. In reality, many men are trapped by depression. In recent years, more and more doctors have found that some male patients with depression do not show "sheep type" withdrawal symptoms like female patients, but "jackal, tiger and leopard type". Although the National Institutes of Health of the United States pointed out that the number of women suffering from depression is about twice that of men, many psychiatrists have analyzed that there may be more women suffering from depression than men, but it may also be that men are unwilling to admit and ask for help, resulting in fewer numbers on the surface.
Lear, a therapist who has studied male depression for many years, proposed at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association that nearly 70% of male depression patients were not diagnosed, and men used to cover up with other behaviors, which Lear called "hidden depression". Especially for men living in Chinese cities, who pay attention to face and regard psychiatry as a symbol of weakness and shame, there may be a large number of men with hidden depression.
Atypical depression symptoms The biggest difference between male depression and female depression is that men are very easy to get angry and often cover up their depression with alcohol and drug abuse. In addition to irritability, alcoholism and drug addiction, some people will go crazy with workaholism, a little stimulation, throw things, gamble wildly, and act impulsively, such as driving fast. These symptoms appear to be a manifestation of masculinity, but they actually deceive themselves, family members or doctors. What's more, many domestic violence problems are also related to depression, and potential patients are hidden in all corners of society.
The symptoms of male patients with depression are not obvious
Mr. Wang, who is in his 30s, is engaged in art design. More than three years ago, his feelings were hurt and his mood was seriously depressed. He worked alone for more than 12 hours a day without saying a word. Only when he got up and looked in the mirror did he find his face expressionless. He hadn't laughed for several weeks. Only then did he understand that it was no use trying to find emotional outlet through work. Finally, he turned to a psychiatrist and took relevant antidepressants to stabilize his mood.
Women are more willing to chat with their good friends to relieve their depression, while men, even if they gather to chat, are mostly related to work and national affairs. Accumulated for a long time, emotions piled up in the bottom of my heart, which is similar to the "hot pot effect". Psychiatrists pointed out that when the mood is smoldering to a certain extent, you must find an outlet to vent, otherwise it will cause physical and psychological diseases. The common physiological diseases are peptic ulcer, heart and blood vessel diseases, and the psychological problems are the possibility of suffering from depression, and the serious ones are violent tendencies and mental disorders.
There is a gentleman who is regarded by others as a good husband, a good father and a happy fruit of the whole family. For some time, his family found that he became not funny, not talkative, and had insomnia. They began to think that he had a bad cold, and didn't think so. Until one time, after drinking alcohol, he lost his temper and shouted that he was tired and wanted to die. He hit the wall with his head and bit his tongue. When he tried to commit suicide, his family rushed him to the hospital and admitted him to the psychiatric ward. After diagnosis, analysis and treatment, the doctor gradually grasped the cause of the disease: he usually suffered, but he did not say it. He thought he was the head of the family and should stand up to the sky. Unexpectedly, the situation is getting worse because of the difficulties of money and debt disputes. They are helpless and dare not ask for help. They don't want to worry about their family, so they have to repress themselves. They wanted to borrow alcohol to alleviate the depression, but in the end, the depression erupted like a volcano.
Doctors believe that men are bound by traditional values, are required to be firm and strong, shoulder social and family responsibilities, have high achievement orientation, and always want to play the role of protector. Let alone talk to someone. Even if the body sends out a warning, chest tightness, stomachache, and insomnia, they also turn a blind eye, for fear of being regarded as a weak person, coward, and humiliating.
At present, there are still many hypotheses about the true cause of depression in the medical community: imbalance of neurotransmitter, especially of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, hypoplasia and degeneration of brain nerve cells, brain damage, premature activation of cell suicide mechanism, long-term drug use, genetic inheritance, stress hormones, and so on. Although the real cause of depression is not very clear, most of the more common male setbacks are external setbacks, such as unemployment, economic frustration, middle-aged crisis, empty-nest period, failure to properly plan retirement life, sense of loss, and personality arrogance. Men are generally ashamed to admit that they have this disease, and can support it. When depression becomes a way of life, over the years, their hearts are full of sadness and despair, and cannot find a way out, Maybe suicide is the only exit. According to statistics, more than 90% of suicide cases have mental illness, of which 70% have depression (especially severe depression), and 15% end up with suicide.
Timely find and relieve men's melancholy symptoms
1. Sleep and appetite are two indicators of depression. Insomnia, weight loss, followed by the loss of attention and thinking ability, and emotional irritability and instability. The sports I used to like now are unable to lift energy, alcoholism, drug addiction, and often in a daze. I ask if I think nothing, and when I don't pay attention, I hear him moan and sigh, and when I notice that my family is watching him, I am not happy. This is the focus of observation.
2. Assist from the side. Generally, men are not willing at first. If family time allows, they can accompany him to the hospital. Men are not willing to elaborate on the disease. At most, they can explain insomnia or physical disease. The family members' narration becomes very important and can enter the treatment core relatively quickly.
3. Start from improving insomnia. People are more likely to accept that they have insomnia problems. It is better to persuade a man to start with the treatment of sleep disorders. At least he is willing to go to the hospital for preliminary diagnosis and treatment.
