- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
David Mrazek, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
David Mrazek, M.D.
David Mrazek, M.D.
Dr. David A. Mrazek is chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and a professor of psychiatry at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic. Dr. Mrazek has developed a federally funded psychiatric pharmacogenomics research program and implemented clinical psychiatric pharmacogenomics services at Mayo Clinic.
He has received numerous awards including the Award for Creativity in Psychiatric Education from the American College of Psychiatrists and the Agnes Purcell McGavin Award for Distinguished Career Achievement in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry from the American Psychiatric Association. He currently serves as chairman of the board of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Dr. Mrazek has focused his current efforts on using pharmacogenomics testing to improve clinical care. One of his specific goals is to decrease the risks of taking psychiatric medications.
Latest entries
- Depression is painful, but don't give up hope
July 31, 2010
- Keep sharing your thoughts about depression
March 4, 2010
- Managing depression during the holidays
Dec. 23, 2009
- Thyroid disease: Can it worsen depression?
Dec. 19, 2009
- Is light therapy a good depression treatment option?
Dec. 9, 2009
Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Depression blog
-
Oct. 23, 2008
Depression in men less frequent than women
By David Mrazek, M.D.
| Need more help? |
|
Depression occurs in the young and the old and in men and women. We do know that the rate of depression in men is less than for women.
The symptoms that men experience can be different from those that women experience. Symptoms including anger, irritability, and feeling discouraged are more common in men than symptoms of hopelessness or helplessness.
Typical symptoms we associate with depression such as depressed mood may not be present in depression in men. This can make it more difficult to recognize depression in men. Many famous men, including President Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill, had depression and still lived successful lives.
Unfortunately, men are not as likely as women to admit to having depression. Even if they do admit to having depression, they may be less likely to seek treatment. Men may stuff their feelings instead of verbalizing them. They may work more, gamble, or use alcohol or drugs to avoid their feelings. Their sleep and or appetite may change. They may suddenly begin talking about divorce or separation.
Women attempt suicide more often than men, but the rate of completed suicide in men is 4 times that of women. Suicide rates peak in mid life and again later in life. Men age 85 and older have the highest suicide rate.
Men want and need to be strong for their families; they don't want to appear weak or vulnerable. If they are the primary bread winner, they can feel pressure to provide for their dependents. Of course, these general statements can be applied to women as well.
Depression in men is treatable. If you suspect a friend or loved one may be depressed, urge them to seek a professional evaluation. There are many options, including medication, therapy or a combination of the two.
Please share your experiences regarding depression in men.
25 comments posted