Sharing – Study shows masculine depression is not just a male mental health pattern
I have mentioned a time or ten that men often get misdiagnosed because our depression doesn’t look like the portrayals we see in the media. Typically, depression looks sad and, in some ways, very feminine. Think of the young woman sitting in bed eating ice cream, for example.
When men display anger, anxiety, and irritation, we tend not to think of it as depression, but it very well can be.
This study taught me something, though. That kind of depression, which we refer to as “masculine,” is not something that only men can display, so we ought to consider how many people across the gender spectrum may be suffering from depression and not recognizing it.
The authors conclude that these findings imply that the term “masculine depression” should be viewed as a descriptive label for a behavioral pattern that may include emotional suppression, somatic symptoms, substance use, anger, aggression, and risk-taking rather than a condition exclusive to men.
