Categories: Need to know

Male depression expected to increase, experts say

Traditional sources of male self-esteem are disappearing

by macleans.ca on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 1:57pm - 37 Comments

The number of men with depression is expected to rise due to large-scale changes in Western society, the BBC reports. According to an article in the British Journal of Psychiatry, economic and social changes are quickly destroying traditional sources of male self-esteem, and men are expected to struggle with the shift away from traditional gender roles. The men’s health forum said male identity is closely connected to employment. Traditionally “male” jobs like manufacturing and pysical labour are disappearing, and as women are now more likely to go to university, the number of households where the main breadwinner is expected to rise. “Women are almost twice as likely to develop major depressive disorder in their lifetime as men, but we believe this difference may well change in the coming decades,” said one of the authors, Dr. Boadie Dunlop of the Emory University School of Medicine.

BBC News

Tags: depression

OriginalEmily1

This is only true for the working class.
truenorth

Isn't there ever any studie's like this done in Canada ? Pretty sure that there is a lot of difference between the Canadian male and the British male….Just asking.

OriginalEmily1

Why would there be a difference?

truenorth

Life style, type of work, working conditions…..

OriginalEmily1

Well if you're out of a job, none of those things apply!

And I really don't see how they vary much between the countries.

This is about their 'masculinity', not their nationality

truenorth

It would also depend on how you define ''masculinity ''……..
OriginalEmily1

I rather thought the article did that….hence the depression.
Ariadne

Won't it be surprising to realize that women and men have different definition and notion of what "masculinity means between them"? Just maybe if the "expert" could have an open discussion about where all genders (including lesbians and gays) differ and agree, it might be a step onward on understanding the perspectives of each gender. Who knows it might just bridge the gap, promote understanding, and avoid many unnecessary heartaches between all sexes.

DEE

DEEEEE WTF I FELL TERIBLEEEE TOOO MOTHER YAAAAAAAR
http://twitter.com/mentalhealthpro @mentalhealthpro

Male depression expected to increase. Macleans, please cite your source more specifically. See citation at bottom here: http://bit.ly/idOvZ2

Healthcare Insider

British Journal of Psychiatry, March 2011, vol 198, issue 3.

Come now – certainly they taught you in university how to find the source.

theintellectual

Well it's already a known fact that men commit suicide at least twice as much as women, so this isn't much of a shock.

Healthcare Insider

Yes it is true that men do die as a result of suicide more often than women but not because women don't attempt it often. Rather, it is because women tend to choose less lethal methods of ending their lives. Therefore, they have less success at it.

Healthcare Insider

Here is an interesting US statistic from 2008… Women attempt suicide 3 times more often than men but men commit suicide 4 x more often than women.

Ariadne

Aren't we so pathetic we can't even do suicide properly and successfully? We probably still need men to succesfully stage and prepare our own suicide attempts. It is not an easy job, it needs a lot of technical knowledge and grit. How to tie the proper knot, the thickness of the rope needed, let alone where to hang the rope, if it is to be a hanging. Blade needs to be sharpened (the hows is daunting enough) and how deep is deep enough (only guys know!), if it is to be wrist slitting. As for jumping bridges and tall buildings, we probably ending lost than dying, let alone knowing how high is high enough. Women just do not have the sense of depth let alone direction to succeed this way. As for shooting one's self, it is more likely women faint first just by merely looking at the wee barrel. Thinking about it, suicide takes a lot more thinking, analysis, planning, effort, courage, and not to mention it induces more headaches than the process of solving one's problem. So why bother?

theintellectual

i dunno. sounds much more simple then trying to starve yourself to death or try to OD on painkillers. That sounds fairly challenging with a high likelihood of failure. Id toss myself off a building over starve myself any day of the week.

Ariadne

Had women have enough time to breath and think, and not busy multitasking, women's suicide rate would be way higher than men.

theintellectual

That is a very interesting statistic actually. However it does make more sense. All too frequently (mainly in high schools) women use suicide attempts as a means of attracting attention or sympathy. When a guy wants to commit suicide it is because he has truly had it with life and will use more lethal methods of getting the job done. However this is a fairly broad generalization and not necessarily true in all cases.

Ariadne

Could it be that men have more devious and technical knowledge how to make it happen successfully? Believe me, women commit suicide because they had it also and not merely for window dressing. If they did not succeed, it might be they overestimate the tools and ways to make it happen.
Healthcare Insider

Having worked many years in psychiatry I would have to dispute your claim that "all to frequently women use suicide attempts as a means of attracting attention or sympathy". Rather, it usually a cry for help. They have poor coping mechanisms and perceive that they have no support. The same US statistical source I quoted above from 2008, said that there are 25 suicide attempts for every success suicide. So, many unsuccessful attempts are made by men as well.

Ariadne

Wow! That is just very sad. Can't we women just parade naked to get attention, than commit suicide that most likely won't succeed? Or attend a Suicide 101 seminar (of course conducted by men with engineering or medical degree) to get it right in the first attempt?
theintellectual

As HcI just said, such attempts are often used as a cry for help rather then an actual attempt. A person well and truly serious about killing themselves will more likely succeed. Suicide 101 seminar? Do you think men are somehow proud of their 'ability' to commit suicide?
Ariadne

I thought men missed their traditional role and was kind of down in the self esteem department? Long time ago, men are good in "What you can do, I can do better" (that's actually very traditional). When one succeeded where many failed, was an achievement at that time. If you like, we can invite trainers from all genders to be fair and avoid "Genderist" accusations. I do agree with you it is so insensitive and schmuck of me to use "Suicide 101". It might be more politically correct and sensitive to title the seminar as "Transcending/Descending to a new state of being 101". Hey guys calm down, I am just kidding!
theintellectual

sorry if i posed my statement a little harshly. yes it is often more or less a cry for help, which is more or less what i meant when i said a that it was for attention.

Matt

wow this article really makes my depression and anxiety increase drastically……I think I might have to end it all
Judge Roy Bean

The man-hating left calls this 'progress'. Not to worry, the demographic winter will take care of this madness.

OriginalEmily1

'The man-hating left calls this 'progress'.'

Where do you get this stuff from??

Ariadne

Hey you two, stop your bickering! Women just do not have the luxury to commit suicide. We are just too busy worrying and planning the next meal and taking care of everybody. If men helps in lightening womens burden, then who knows we might have enough time to consider suicide. Happy now?

theintellectual

so if men stepped in to help women might consider suicide more often?

Ariadne

It depends! If men help just a tiny weenie bit for women to gasp a breath, then probably yes. But if men help more to make their women happy and content, then men should be prepared having wrinkly, toothless, white haired (or hairless) women stuck with them until they cock up their toes. Now guys, don't take that picture as a reason to commit suicide, think of the positives. An old experienced woman who has been with you in sickness and health, hard times and good times knows more how to love and take care of her man(of the same picture or worse), even with blinders off. Oh this picture just makes me cry!
theintellectual

So if men help the wrong way it's suicide, but if they help out the right way it's eternal love? This is likely why many men are afraid to get involved in the first place. Women are too erractic for most men to follow and expecting them to live up to every expectation is harmful and deluding.

june conway beeby

Here is yet another social hypothesis about the causes of mental illnesses.

Sadness is a natural reaction to life's problems. Clinical depression is something different–a medical disease that requires diagnosis and treatment by psychiatrists trained in neurological illnesses.

It's important to understand the difference between the natural sorrow at life's many disappointments and the presence of a diagnosable illness, if we are to truly help the severely mentally ill. .
Ariadne

Hey guys don't be depressed, if you really missed your traditional role so much, many of us women could live with you taking care and paying for our upkeep and luxuries, opening the doors, lifting objects for us, drawing up chairs, helping out around the house… if given up enough space and time I could add quite a few more important things on that list. As for work, I don't think women are ahead, we are just so stupid to add more on our traditional burden. Gosh! Why is it people always make life so complicated?
Westkraut

Finally, we will be equal!
theintellectual

Somehow i think this study only covers part of it. I believe part of this rise in depression is due in part because an increased pressure to fit in our assigned masculine tough guy roles. As a result many men probably feel uncomfortable with talking about their issues and will likely bottle them up, creating stress and depression among other things. However this is simply based on what i have seen and professionals will probably dispute this.
Ariadne

Don't be afraid and ashamed to cry, it's cleansing. You should do it sometimes, you might be surprise at how women receive this. Misconceptions between gender really create a lot of unnecessary walls and problems eh?
truenorth

I get all teary eyed at the Toilet Paper commercial with the little kittens playing on it…is that acceptable I wonder..?