What is depression?

Depression is a serious mental health condition that affects how you feel, think, and manage daily activities. It can make you feel sad, angry, irritable or empty and lose pleasure or interest in things you usually enjoy. While it is normal to feel down sometimes, if you feel this way for 2 weeks or more you may be experiencing depression.

Social norms may define your understanding of what it is to be ‘male’. For some men, this may include not talking about your feelings, or not showing that you’re upset. This can sometimes make it hard for men to acknowledge that they may be experiencing depression.

This information is about depression in men; however, many aspects of depression are not gender or sex specific. Read more on depression in the general community.

How common is depression in men?

Depression is common — it affects 1 in 8 men at some point in their lives. Depression can put people at risk of suicide. Sadly, 7 men die by suicide every day in Australia.

Suicide and crisis support: If you or someone close to you is in crisis, or at immediate risk of harm, call triple zero (000). To talk to someone now call Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or Lifeline 13 11 14.

If you need to talk to someone about your mental health, call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

What causes depression in men?

The exact cause of depression is unknown, and every person has different circumstances. Usually, depression happens because of a mix of life events, personal factors and changes in the brain.

For some people, challenging life events or issues such as a family member dying, facing unemployment, past or continuing abuse, or stress at work may cause depression.

Sometimes a recent event, such as a divorce or losing your job, can trigger depression if you are already at risk.

You are more likely to develop depression if:

• you have a close family member with depression
• you have a serious medical condition
• you have a personality that is prone to depression, such as if you worry a lot or you are a perfectionist
• you take drugs or drink too much alcohol

Loneliness can also increase your risk of developing depression.

Sometimes, people can develop depression for no obvious reason. Just because there is no clear cause it doesn’t mean that you are not experiencing depression.

What are the signs of depression in men?

The signs of depression affect different people in different ways. It can involve changes in the way you think, feel or behave.

For example, you may feel:

• irritable, angry or frustrated
• sad or empty
• disappointed
• indecisive or overwhelmed
• helpless or hopeless
• guilty

You may think negative thoughts, such as:

• you are not important or valuable (low self-esteem)
• people would be better off without you
• life is not worth living
• you are a failure

You may start behaving differently, for example, by:

• not going out with friends or family
• not managing as well as you normally do at work or school
• escaping into work or sports activities
• not doing activities you normally look forward to
• relying on drugs or alcohol
• not being able to concentrate
• behaving recklessly

You may also notice physical signs such as:

• difficulty sleeping or feeling tired
• changed appetite
• feeling run down or unwell
• loss of sexual desire or performance
• headaches and muscle pain
• stomach pain

Almost everyone experiences some of these signs occasionally. If your symptoms appear often or won’t go away, you may be experiencing depression. You can check if what you are experiencing is depression by taking Beyond Blue's Anxiety and Depression Test (K10).

While anyone with depression can experience any of these symptoms, men and women tend to experience and report them differently. Men are more likely to talk about the physical symptoms of depression, such as feeling tired or losing weight, rather than saying they feel low.

When should I seek help?

You should seek help and speak with your doctor if you:

• have been feeling sad or depressed most of the day
• have symptoms of depression for 2 weeks or more
• are worried that you may be depressed

Your doctor can assess you and if necessary, work with you to build a mental health treatment plan. This is a plan that maps out your treatment goals and includes the services and resources available to you. If your doctor thinks that another health professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, should be involved, they will be able to refer you to someone who can help.

If you are experiencing occasional signs of depression, or just feeling low, you can reach out to a friend or family member. This could be to chat or go out together to do something you enjoy.

It is important to carry on doing the things that normally make you happy, even if you don’t feel interested in them right now. Eventually, with the right support, you will find the enjoyment again and start feeling better.

How can I help a man with depression?

If you think that a male friend or family member may be experiencing depression, you can offer them help and support.

Some men find it particularly difficult to share their emotions, but you can help them by starting a conversation. Ask them how they are doing and show them that you want to support them. Find a time when there’s no distractions to start the conversation.

Sometimes men with depression might feel that they don’t want to seek help because they are supposed to be tough and self reliant. In this situation, the best thing you can do is to reassure them, be patient and help them explore their options. Remind them that depression is a serious but common mental health condition that won’t get better by itself.

If they had a broken leg or a bad cut, they wouldn’t expect that to heal without their doctor’s help, and it’s the same with depression.

How is depression in men treated?

There are many different types of treatments depending on your symptoms and how severe they are. You should start by speaking with your doctor and build a mental health treatment plan.

Often, a mix of treatments work best. The main ways to treat depression are with:

• medicines
• psychological treatments
• physical treatment
• brain stimulation therapies
• self-help or alternative (complementary) therapies

Medication

Antidepressants and mood stabilising medicines influence chemical processes in the brain that control your mood. They normally take 4 to 6 weeks to be effective.

Psychological treatments

Psychological treatments used for depression, include:

• cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
• interpersonal therapy (IPT)
• psychotherapy
• counselling
• online therapies (eTherapy)

If you are experiencing depression, your doctor may recommend one of these therapies by itself or combined with other types of treatment.

Other treatments

Brain stimulation therapies may include the following:

• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) uses an electromagnetic coil placed on the scalp to stimulate the nerve cells in your brain that control mood.
• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while you are under anaesthetic. It is used to treat specific types of depression, including severe depression that has not responded to medicines.

Self-help and alternative therapies

A wide range of self-help techniques and alternative or complementary therapies can also be used to treat depression either by themselves or together with other types of therapies.

Not all types of depression can be treated using these methods alone. So it is important that you work with your doctor to build a personal mental health treatment plan that will work for you. Self-help and alternative therapies include:

• meditation and mindfulness
• eating healthy and exercising regularly
• avoiding alcohol and drugs
• yoga
• massage therapy
• If you are experiencing depression, your doctor may recommend one of these types of therapy by itself or together with other types of treatments.

Resources and support

If you or someone close to you is in a crisis, or at immediate risk of harm, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

It is important to reach out to your doctor if you are feeling down or think you may be depressed. You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are a many resources and support online for men experiencing depression. MensLine Australia has information on Men’s mental health and common challenges.

Beyond Blue has a lot of information on topics such as:

• Depression
• How to talk to someone you’re worried about
• Work and mental health
• Parenting and mental health
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men
• Statistics

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby has information on Fathers and depression.