If you are a man going through depression and are intentional about getting help, you should be commended for being counted among the courageous. In general, men are less inclined to admit to depression than women, much less pursue help. They are more likely to try merely toughing it out (or driving it underground) or re-channeling it into obsessions with work, angry talk radio, or computer games/blogging, or even drugs—anything to distract them from their pain and facilitate their denial. Some succeed in becoming stoic (or withdrawn into silence), but they also show increased physical symptoms, such as muscular aches and pains, tension headaches, stomach and, more generally, gastrointestinal disorders, and chest pain (along with increased risk for heart disease).

More often than women, men demonstrate their depression through poor anger control. They tend to have a gloom and doom mindset, and are easily frustrated or irritated by small things. Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to trigger them. They may raise their voices against their children for minor offenses and withdraw from their wives, perhaps, by spending hours in their workshops, or on their computers, or almost compulsively going fishing or engaging in some other solitary activity. Sometimes, they will just sit alone for long periods of time.

Depressed men may also have affairs, seeking solace in the alternative thrill of the forbidden fruit—it’s an attempt to self-medicate with a relationship. But nothing seems to solve the problem of anxiety and depression inside. When they do seek help, they are often desperate.

• Your depressive moods and other symptoms (sleep, appetite, concentration, energy)
• Possible stressors in your life, and support systems in place
• Whether thoughts about ending your life have ever crossed your mind
• Drug and alcohol use, and about the medications you are currently taking, if any

• Get involved in activities that make you happy, even if you don’t feel like it.
• Spend time with family and friends.
• Try talking to clergy or spiritual advisors who may help give meaning to painful experiences.
• Consider prayer, meditation, tai chi, or biofeedback as ways to relax or draw on your inner strengths.
• Add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet, which you can get from cold-water fish like tuna, salmon, or mackerel.
• Take folate (vitamin B9) in the form of a multivitamin (400 to 800 micrograms).

If you are depressed for 2 weeks or longer, you should contact your doctor, who can offer treatment options. Regardless of whether you have mild or major depression, the following self-care steps can help:

• Get enough sleep.
• Follow a healthy, nutritious diet.
• Exercise regularly.
• Avoid alcohol, marijuana, and other recreational drugs.

You have probably heard people (including yourself) say many times, “I’m really stressed out!” When you hear that, you usually understand what they’re talking about. But, when professionals use that terminology, what do they mean? Generally speaking, they refer to stress as any time events in our lives begin to tax our coping abilities, usually events that trigger considerable anxiety, frustration, depression, and a variety of physical symptoms. Stressful events usually involve four things:

•  An intensity of feelings (e.g., strong feelings of agitation and upset, desires to flee threatening situations, or attack the frustrating barrier).

• A heightened level of bodily tension, often leading to headaches, muscle aches, and various other bodily aches and pain. It can also include increased blood pressure, sometimes heart palpitations, frequent sighing or even at times shortness of breath, jaw clenching, and muscular fatigue.

• Variations in the level of experienced unpleasantness of the event or situation.

• Varying degrees of complexity in the situation, including so-called “cluster stress”. This occurs when you are experiencing several stressors at the same time (e.g., losing your job, marital difficulties, and losing a parent, all occurring together or in close sequence).

Stressful circumstances can include physical injuries, exposure to emotionally or physically threatening situations, difficult losses, marital or family upheaval, conflicting job or career issues, situations of prolonged uncertainty, and problems for which you see no solution or answer. Strangely enough, even getting married, largely thought of as a wonderful occasion, has also been listed as a stressful event! That’s because positive events can present some stress too.

Want to know more?   Go to www.Depressionoutreach.com

• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Childhood events like abuse or neglect
• Chronic stress
• Death of a friend or relative
• Disappointment at home, work, or school (in teens, this may be breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, failing a class, or parents divorcing)
• Drugs such as sedatives and high blood pressure medications
• Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), cancer, or hepatitis
• Nutritional deficiencies (such as a lack of folate and omega-3 fatty acids)
• Overly negative thoughts about one’s self and life, self blame, and ineffective
  social problem solving skills
• Prolonged pain or having a major illness
• Sleeping problems
• Social isolation (common in the elderly)