What Are the Causes of Depression in Men?
More than six million men in America experience major depression each year. While some illnesses have a specific cause, this is not true for major depression; it can be caused by biological, psychological or social factors.Social FactorsDepression in men may arise from unemployment, loneliness, lack of social support, relationship, financial or health problems, alcohol or drug abuse, or early childhood abuse or trauma.Psychological CausesMen with learned helplessness–a condition where they accept the idea that they can do nothing to help themselves–are prone to depression; the same goes for men who see themselves as responsible for everything bad in their lives.Biological CausesMen may become depresssed because of a deficiency in the hormone thyroxin and the brain chemical serotonin.WarningMen with depression are four times as likely as women with depression to commit suicide.MisconceptionsMany people think “real men” don’t get depressed. Some men may neglect to report symptoms of de
