They also found that one of the reasons men do not seek treatment is that they view traditional symptoms as less masculine and may ignore them to avoid stigma. Instead of assuming men are less depressed, it’s good to look into other unique experiences in men to understand their mental health better.
Men experience depression differently compared to women, and may present with anger, self-medicating and increased drinking instead of more “traditional” symptoms like crying or withdrawal from normal behaviors. Men who showed traditional symptoms in one study were perceived to be feminine. While those who showed non-traditional symptoms of depression were perceived as more masculine, instead of depressed.
To help men cope with mental health during this pandemic, one of the researchers advised staying connected with friends, staying active physically, and speaking out.
Read original article here: http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-04-22-natural-mood-regulation-low-or-even-absent-people-depression
