Men's depression Men suffer very differently

Symptoms of depression in men often go undetected

15/04/2015

Often, mental illnesses in men are not recognized or insufficiently treated, according to the announcement of the German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology (DGPPN) on the occasion of the Men's Health Congress in Berlin. The DGPPN therefore believes that there are gender differences „to pay even more attention to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness in men.“

Overall, according to the DGPPN, mental illness is diagnosed much less in men than in women. For example, according to the latest data in Germany, just under five percent of adult men would contract depression within 12 months, whereas in the same period, the value for women would exceed ten percent. At the same time be with the men, however „a significantly higher rate for addictions and for (completed) suicide.“ The head of the DGPPN department for gender issues in psychiatry, Prof. Anette Kersting, according to lay the „Data suggest that mental illness is more specifically detected in women than in men.

Depressed men fall through the medical grid
Although statistically speaking, depression in women is far more common than in men, but apparently many men fall through the medical grid. A man who develops a depression, fill „not always the classic picture of a depressed patient“, quotes the news agency „dpa“ Professor Harald Gündel from the University of Ulm. The idea of ​​medicine from depression is not complete here. The DGPPN also emphasizes that it has been proven by investigations, „that psychiatric-psychotherapeutic diagnostics do not detect depressive symptoms in men.“ Men would still try to hide their emotional problems and describe physical symptoms more often, rather than the classic depressive symptoms they are asking for, such as depression, brooding, listlessness, or withdrawal tendencies that are more likely to occur in women.

Irritability and aggressiveness Evidence of depression
In the opinion of the experts, depression often causes an increase in men „Irritability, irritability, aggressiveness, anger or antisocial behavior“ determine what as „typical male“ Defensive strategy will be interpreted. For example, depressive symptoms in men could be masked by gender-typical stress symptoms, with the result that depression is not diagnosed and left untreated. Professor Gündel concludes that taking into account these men, depression in the sexes are likely to be equally common, so the announcement of the „dpa“. Basically, there is also the problem here that supposedly „strong sex“ rather rarely go to the doctor. A report by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has shown that men are generally less likely to be reached by medical services and use them less by themselves. Here, unconventional solutions such as consultations in companies are in demand, reports Prof. Gündel. Likewise, seminars on group-level conversations initiated through the work environment could help men communicate about spiritual issues as well.

Addictions due to stress
According to Prof. Anette Kersting, earlier research has proven that men and women deal differently with emotional stress and problems. „While women are more concerned with their feelings and pondering, many men displace problems and reach for the bottle“, so Kersting. This is probably one of the reasons for the higher prevalence of addictions in men and depression and anxiety disorders in women. Professor Gerd Glaeske from the Center for Social Policy of the University of Bremen told the „dpa“ on the sidelines of the congress, that also little is known about the types and quantities of drugs that men take. Even in relevant studies, this is recorded only up to the age of 64 years, but a noteworthy drug use often begins only at this age. In addition, addiction in men is more associated with alcohol or illegal drugs, but also drugs such as anabolic steroids and stimulants should be considered here, since they are taken by men more than by women. (Fp)