Therapy for Men: Depression
Depression won’t get better by itself
"I know its hard to have a conversation about it, but keeping silent is worse"
Male Depression is more difficult to diagnose because most men don’t complain about the typical symptoms, and as a result, you are less likely to acknowledge distress.
Too often, we do not recognise, acknowledge, or seek help for depression, you may be reluctant to talk about how you are feeling, perhaps deny your feelings, or possibly hide them from yourself and others for the sake of your job, keeping silent is worse! Overtime this can spiral out of control and become problematic. If left untreated depression can spiral out of control and lead to disharmony at home, difficulties at work and internal stress.
The least most commonly overlooked signs of depression are;
- Physical: – backache, frequent headaches, feeling tired, or losing weight.
- Feelings: Mistaking irritability or anger for feeling low or sad, loneliness, sensitivity to criticism, unable to concentrate, loss of humour, to road rage/short tempered, inability to deal with stress
- Lose interest: contact with mates, sport, sex, work, going out, or past times.
- Reckless behaviour: Risky behaviour, pursuing dangerous sports, driving recklessly, or engaging in unsafe sex, drinking too much..
There’s no single cause of depression in men. Biological, psychological and social factors all play a part, as do lifestyle choices, relationships and coping skills. Loneliness is a key factor, either you live alone, the pressure to work and provide for the family leaves little time to socialise and catch up with mates. Staying connected is critical to our wellbeing, spending time with mates, talking in person. Looking after your body, being healthy and staying physically active, eating healthily and sleeping well helps to keep physically stay well, along with doing regular activities that keep us connected with people.
Stressful life events or anything that makes you feel low, helpless, profoundly sad, or overwhelmed by stress can trigger depression, including;
- Overwhelming stress at work or home
- Relationship problems – commitment, parenting
- Not reaching important goals, feeling stuck
- Financial – constant money problems
- Divorce or separation
- Retirement, loss of independence, direction
- Family – sibling rivalry, expectations, traditions, difficult parents
- Pressure – trying for a baby, IVF
Take a positive step today and contact – we can work together from there.
"Counselling is well invested for getting your feet back on the ground so you can step back into the ‘drivers seat’ of your life by learning how to move forward and navigate your way to less stress and more calm."
At Private Counselling Nottingham you don’t have to try to figure things out on your own!
The good news is there are actions you can take to combat depression. It can be a relief to get things off your chest, knowing you will be fully supported with someone who is trained and experienced in working with depression, in a safe and welcoming space for you to think out loud and express yourself at your own pace, without being judged. The aim is to help you to look out for yourself, similar to looking after a car, comparing regular maintenance and safety checks to keep to it running smoothly and ensure you stay in the drivers seat of your and get the best out of our minds and stay healthy.
