How Can Depression Manifest Differently in Men and Women

Depression is among the most widespread mental disorder conditions documented today, touching millions of lives around the world. However, despite how common this disorder is, depression does not always happen the same way for every person affected. Its symptoms, mechanisms to cope with it, and even the problems in seeking professional help seem to be more different between men and women. In view of these differences, there is a need to identify such depression early to offer proper support to the individuals, like depression counselling sessions that can be provided based on the gender-different needs of depressed people.

Biological and Hormonal Differences

Among females, some hormonal changes caused by menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause may trigger or aggravate depressive conditions. These are premenstrual dysphoric disorders and postpartum depression. In men, a decrease in testosterone, also known as “male menopause,” may result in depression but is less recognized. Many may not connect the emotional swing-ups to hormonal imbalance, and they go late into medical care.

Emotional Expression and Coping Mechanisms 

Societal expectations shape emotional expressions. Women are positively encouraged to express their emotions, and as a result, they often express sadness by crying or requesting help, and this may help them realize depression early. Men, on the other hand, are often socialized to suppress their emotions and be rugged. This often manifests in anger, irritability, or abusive drug use and may mask depression, which is harder to diagnose.

Symptom Differences Between Men and Women

Men: The manifestations of male depression can be quite observable and obvious, especially when the affected man happens to become irritable, angry, or even belligerent. There can be accompanying feelings of being overtired and having sleep disorders; however, the origin of this mainly relates to work pressures rather than a perceived depression cause. In male escapism, individuals resort to excessive drinking or risk-taking incidents as a partial means to anesthetize their emotions.

Women: They internalize more of their symptoms but show sadness, guilt, and worthlessness. Physical symptoms such as headache and change in appetite are also noticed; they are more likely to have coexisting anxiety with worry and panic attacks in addition to depression.

Role of Counselling Sessions for Depression in  Both Genders

Emotional Expression and Support: 

Counselling provides women with the ability to safely have expressions about sad feelings, guilt, or weltering without hindrance in order to address emotional stress. For the men, this becomes an open door to break away from the pressure of society that would have kept them compartmentalized by emotions and rather to express them constructively without discouragement to ensure healthier emotional responses.

Planning Individualized Coping Skills: 

Women can benefit from therapy by developing an individualized strategy toward mood swings, hormonal imbalances, and anxiety because of depression. 

Men learn techniques to improve the management of anger, irritability, or risky behaviors that can enable them to cope with depression in healthier, non-destructive ways.

Dealing with Root Causes

For women, counselling would seek to address real root causes in one’s life, such as hormonal changes or life stressors, in order to treat the condition holistically. 

Men can work through hidden stressors or factors like work-related pressures or relationship issues that contribute to their depression, ensuring the underlying problems are tackled effectively. 

Increase Self Awareness

Counselling of men and women broadens their self-awareness, making them more conscious of early depressive symptoms. This will make a person understand himself better about what triggers their emotions, making it easier to deal with future depressive episodes before they worsen.

Samvedna Care is a dedicated provider of professional counselling services, offering compassionate and confidential online mental health support for individuals facing emotional or psychological challenges. With a range of services, including individual, couples, and family counselling, our highly qualified professionals work closely with clients to explore their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. We focus on helping individuals develop effective coping skills to manage their symptoms while fostering a safe and supportive environment where they can comfortably express themselves and work towards their mental health goals.

Conclusion 

Depression is common to both sexes. However, the present observations clearly reveal that, essentially, depression presents differently due to biological, emotional, and social behavior. These facts form the essence of proper support and treatment. Recognizing the subtle symptoms in men or addressing the vulnerabilities in women – early intervention is crucial. Tailor-made care for both men and women could be achieved through counselling sessions for depression. So, if a depression diagnosis is made for an individual or one of your loved ones, the first step to healing and recovery would actually involve professional help. Take the first step towards better mental health with Samvedna Care’s compassionate counselling services—schedule your session today!