Depressed Men Suffer in Silence, Says Research

Men who suffer from depression or anxiety are much less likely than women to seek medical help, because of pressure to keep up a macho front, health campaigners have claimed.

Health services should be made more "male friendly" to stop men turning to alcohol, binge-eating or smoking to deal with their problems, they said.

Research found that 51 per cent of British men feel down, stressed, depressed or anxious at least once a month, while more than one in five (21 per cent) feel that way every day or a few times a week.

The study, released to coincide with National Men's Health Week, discovered that 66 per cent of the 1,212 men questioned had experienced depression or anxiety at some point in their lives.

A third of all men would be too embarrassed or ashamed to seek help for a mental health problem, while 17 per cent of those who had experienced it said they suffered in silence.

The most common causes of anxiety and depression were work (48 per cent of sufferers said it was a factor), financial worries (44 per cent), fast-paced living (27 per cent) and relationship problems (25 per cent).

Peter Baker, chief executive of the charity Men's Health Forum, which runs the week, said the findings were worrying. He added: "There is a feeling that if you are man you have to be strong and macho and cope with whatever life throws at you. But this research proves that for many men common mental health problems are impacting on their lives. We're particularly concerned to find that one man in three with stress, depression or anxiety says that feeling embarrassed or ashamed would stop him seeking help, while one man in 10 would try and cover up a mental health problem. Of those who have felt down, just a third visited a doctor for help compared to almost half of women. We want health professionals to make their services more male-friendly so that men feel they have somewhere to turn. Our research proves there really is a lot of work to be done to de-stigmatise mental health problems for men in particular, as they still feel that 'big boys don't cry'."
The Daily Telegraph, 12th June 2006

PHILLIP DAY'S COMMENT: Between 25-42% of people suffering from depression are known, somewhat ridiculously, as 'atypical' depressives. Studies show chromium picolinate is worth trying for these , and I would advocate beneficial dietary changes and include a basic supplement program and minerals, vitamins and Omega 3 (fish oils). In the ABC's of Disease, I cover depression in a special chapter and cite research into the other causes, i.e. stress, the hamster wheel going around too fast, lack of goals and direction, etc. I am completely against diagnosing mental illness and entering the purview of baleful psychiatry (see The Mind Game).