October 2005:  Men Who Deal With Depression

 

Click on the links below to go directly to that article. 

 

Not Just a Woman Thing 

In Psalm 42 and 43 David repeats this refrain:

“Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him,

the help of my countenance and my God.”

 

David was a man struggling with the emotions associated with depression and he was clinging to what he knew to be true to inform those emotions and manage them. The Lord can use our struggles to bring us closer to Him and the knowledge of His great lovingkindness toward us. Our focus this month is on how men experience and deal with depression.

The titles of our two main resources this month give an indication of the depth of shame that a man often experiences if he is struggling with depression - minor or of the major clinical variety. I would highly recommend both Unmasking Male Depression - by Archibald Hart, a prolific writer coming from a Christian perspective, and I Don’t Want to Talk About It - by Terrence Real, a groundbreaking work that unveils the unique expression of male depression.

 

Because men are more supported and understood if they express anger, addiction, adrenaline-run activities and pursuits, etc. , any underlying sadness, lethargy, despair, or helplessness, gets “masked” by activity. In most cases, men who suffer from depression believe that they are weak or deficient and therefore, avoid seeking help that is available.

One brief overview to help introduce you to the picture of how male depression “looks” different than female depression is contained in the following from Arch Hart.

 

“Many clinicians have unintentionally rebuffed male patients by only looking for the “classic” signs of depression which have been derived mainly from the characteristics of female depression. Let me stress an important point, however. This does not mean that men will never show the classic signs of sadness, crying, and withdrawal. Many will. But these signs may not be obvious at first because the characteristic marks of male depression overshadow them. Grumpiness, irritability, moodiness, sulking, overt anger, anxiety, agitation, preoccupation with work, and other distractions dominate the clinical picture of male depression,. Because these signs are easily overlooked or excused away by the depressed male, the problem goes largely undiagnosed.” (pg. 53)

We strongly urge you to take the time to read both of the resource books this month to help get an idea of the range of depression, from mild to severe, endogenous vs. stress-induced, covert vs. overt, etc. There is much more to consider and become acquainted with than this brief introduction can do justice to, but a decent overview can be attained by perusing both Hart’s and Real’s work.

 

  

From Our Bookshelf to Yours

Click on the title for a link to learn more about any of these resources through ChristianBook.Com 

I Don’t Want to Talk About It - Terrence Real – Believing there has been a huge cultural cover-up of men who suffer from depression, Real discusses the existence of a mental illness passed from fathers to sons in the form of rage, workaholism, distanced relationships from loved ones, and self-destructive behaviors ranging from bad choices at work and in love, to drug and alcohol abuse.


Unmasking Male Depression - Archibald Hart – “The author explores the many forms of depression and gives tools for coping with and healing depression in men. Hart also examines the lives of Christian leaders who struggled with depression, such as Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther, and John Calvin, to reveal the myths surrounding this illness.”

   

Web Links

 

Our featured Web Link this month is www.christianlifeskills.com – This is a Christian based resource for healthy life skills with a section devoted to dealing with depression. 

 

Larry Roach, LHMC, a professional Christian counselor based out of Orlando, Florida, hosts the site.  Click the sidebar topic “Depression” to find resources on:

  • Types of Depression

  • Causes of Depression

  • Symptoms of Depression and Mania

  • Diagnostic Evaluation and Treatment

  • Antidepressant Medications

  • Psychotherapy

  • Helping Yourself

  • Helping the Depressed Person

  • Online Depression Test

  • Recommended Books on Depression

 These sites also have some great resources!

www.depression.com – This is a site for general information and resources about depression and treatment. Explore links such as Understanding Depression, Treating Depression and Living Day to Day with Depression.

 

http://www.family.org/married/topics/a0025095.cfm – Focus on the Family provides a large variety of resources for all sorts of personal, marital and family needs from a Christian worldview. Here, find resources for understanding and conquering depression, how depression impacts marriage and faith, and more.

 

www.aacc.net – This site is home to the American Association of Christian Counselors.  Discover training opportunities, seminars, resources, and more on a host of topics.

 

Getting Help…

Share Your Struggle   

It is significant that our resource list is shorter this month. In many ways it is simply evidence that we do not recognize and deal with men’s depression as readily as we do women’s. It is our prayer that the Lord would help these tools minister effectively and help men acknowledge and receive help at any level of depression they are experiencing.

 

If you have any questions as a result of this newsletter, please feel free to call us at 317-575-6500. Any of us are happy to answer your questions and see if a referral for professional counseling with one of our counselors would be helpful. God bless your efforts.

 

  

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