When we think about debilitating diseases, we always think about chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes etc. And the fact that none of the mental illnesses are even considered is what is wrong with the way we look at them. Mental illnesses are pervasive, whether we like to accept it or not. And it will not go anywhere until we take charge of it. According to WHO, there are more than 300 million people who are living with depression in this world. And according to a survey there has been 18% hike in the number of such cases between 2005 and 2015. There is a lack of conversation about this in the world which why people don’t come out and seek help. This only adds to the growing number.
There is a huge amount of stigma attached with mental illnesses and even more so when it happens to a man. Men somehow are always required to be in charge of their emotions. So, a man with a mental health problem like depression generally finds it much harder to come out and seek help. And there is another big problem with men which is that men don’t really show typical signs of depression. Thus, this makes the diagnosis a little more complicated. But there are definitely signs that can help a person to recognize the illness. There are many unusual signs that can be telltale of depression that we need to recognize. Some of the signs have been listed below.
1. Frequent Mood Swings
A flat tire in the morning before a big presentation can really affect a person’s mood. A bad day is likely to happen to anybody but it is often succeeded by a good day. But depression works differently. People with depression can feel sad or down for days, weeks and even months. The mood that one experiences during the phase of depression is very different. And there are other symptoms like fatigue, loss of appetite and irritability that come with it.
2. Anger Comes Out Of Nowhere
Anger is an expression of emotion that has become synonymous with masculinity. And since men find it harder to come out with their depression, anger becomes a way for their depression to surface. Depressive anger is very different and can lead to some serious damage. Depressive anger can come out of nowhere and doesn’t need a trigger for it to surface. So, it is important that one recognizes the change in one’s behavior when that happens and seek help.
3. Recklessness Can Become More Obvious
Recklessness is something that is seen more in men with depression than women. Men don’t want to recognize or deal with what they are going through, so they want to escape them by doing something reckless. This is a classic way of suppressing one’s problem. You don’t want to deal with your problems, so you end up endangering your and other’s safety for fun. It is a ‘male code’ for dealing with problems in a lot of cases.
4. Exhaustion Becomes Your Companion
Sleeplessness is an early sign of depression. And since your sleep is disturbed you tend to feel exhausted the whole time. This lack of sleep can happen due to over-thinking and focusing on all the bad things that is happening.
5. Pushing Loved Ones Away
This is another sign of depression. Men tend to push the people they love away because they fail to see all the good things in their lives. They focus on the bad so much that they tend to overlook all the people who love them dearly. They isolate themselves from their loved ones.
6. Substance Abuse
Depressed people often turn to drugs and alcohol to escape from their reality because they don’t want to deal with their ugly reality. This can be another very obvious sign.
7. Sex Drive Takes A Hit
Libido of men can take a serious hit when they are depressed. And this can also be a sign of depression.
Depression is a condition that can be cured as long as people seek the right kind of help. It is important that people see this as a condition and not as something that can dictate their lives and relationships with other people. It is vital to remain positive as there is always hope lurking around nearby.
