More Men Suffer Depression Than Seek Help

June 17, 2003 -- Reluctant to talk about the weight of their lives, many men are suffering in silence from depression.

"It's important to recognize that when men become depressed it may not be quite the picture of depression most of us have," said Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health.

Even though depression in men is only about half as common as it is in women, 6 million men in America are diagnosed with depression annually, mental health experts say. Men are more likely to suffer in silence and not seek treatment while depressed woman are more likely to report feelings of sadness, helplessness, and guilt

Researchers say it is often more difficult for men to identify their illness. Men with depression are more likely to report fatigue, irritability, and loss of interest in work.

Snapshot of Debilitating Illness

According to data released in the Journal of the American Medical Association, about 16 percent of the U.S. adult population will have a major depression at some time in their life. And about as many as 14 million Americans suffered an episode of depression in the last year alone, with the average episode lasting about four months.

The survey builds on previous surveys that showed women develop clinical depression at nearly twice the rate (12 percent each year) as men (7 percent).

Men and women arrive at depression the same way: It's a chemical imbalance in the brain. Studies suggest you are at greater risk of developing depression if you've suffered a severe loss as a child, an overwhelmingly stressful event as an adult, or you have a family history of depression.

But however one develops depression, men appear to react to it differently than women.

"One of the things you see often see with men," said Insel, "is social withdrawal, which is really a very important signal and more common than with women."

‘Took Over My Life’

Jimmy Brown, a New York City firefighter, developed depression shortly after 9/11.

"Basically it took over my entire life," Brown said. "I wouldn't want to get out of bed. I wouldn't want to leave the house."

Making matters worse, Brown, like many men, suffered the stigma of depression.

"As a man, you're not supposed to be depressed," he told ABCNEWS. "Growing up, men are supposed to be the providers. Men are supposed to be the pillar of strength. They're supposed to be the one everyone else turns to.

"You can't talk about it because especially in the fire profession, a somewhat macho profession, you don't want to admit any weaknesses."

Not surprisingly, men are less likely than women to seek help for their illness. And perhaps because of that, depression takes a greater toll on men. In the United States, men are four times more likely than women to commit suicide.

"I was tired of feeling the way I was," said Brown. "I knew I had to do something. It wasn't going to get better on its own."

After months of psychotherapy, also called "talk" therapy, Brown's depression began to lift.

"I feel great today," he said. "I'm constantly busy. I'm constantly doing things. Constantly wanting to do things. That's the big difference."

Researchers say that between talk therapy and medications, about 80 percent of depression cases can now be treated effectively — in both women and men.