First off, mental health is an integral part of our well-being. It is not something that should be taken lightly or made fun of with silly and inappropriate jokes or looking down on someone with disgust if they are getting help to cope with the mental illnesses they face. We tend to not recognize the importance of professional help when it comes to issues like depression, behavioral problems, anxiety, etc. These are issues that can affect us very deeply and need to be addressed, and this addressing needs to be encouraged.
Depression can be a killer. It is so strong that it can feed you lies and take your life. Here’s where family and loved ones play a major role – understanding and helping those struggling with depression starts by just being there for them. Observing symptoms and behavioral changes is also important because the earlier they are caught, the better it is for recovery and restoration. Also, it means a great deal of support to those suffering in the midst of the struggle that seems impossible to get through.
To understand the symptoms and patterns better, it is important to know that depression affects men and women differently. Here are 4 ways to know-how –
- Women are more vocal to talk about their feelings than men
Generally, women are able to talk about their feelings and identify with them than men. Men are not so vocal about their feelings and struggles, and so they substitute them with anger and frustration. Thus, it is common for women to seek help when they struggle with depression while men don’t and it only comes out when they are in critical stages of their struggle.
- Men turn to anger while women turn to sadness
As men do not really express their feelings, they tend to turn to anger and frustration when depressed. These reactions to common daily things become routine and they become aggressive. Women, however, lean more towards sadness and feeling miserable. They tend to share with close ones, which is very helpful as it allows them to open up.
- When it comes to suicide, men succeed more than women
The stage of suicidal thoughts while struggling with depression is very scary. Reports suggest that men are three times more likely to succeed than women when attempting suicide. This is because men tend to choose aggressive methods of suicide than women, who would choose methods that can still have room for hope, for someone to come save them – for example, overdosing, writing a long suicide note hoping someone would come to their rescue while they write, posting about it on social media before acting on it, etc.
Men and women respond to depression differently and they must be helped accordingly. Recognizing these differences is important to the quality and effectiveness of treatment and recovery. Everyone can benefit from this as it helps us understand how best we can help those around us who may be suffering from depression.
