Men’s Mental Health & Sexual Wellness

Depression is a common but serious medical illness that affects how a person feels, thinks and acts. It’s extremely widespread, with more than 322 million people living with the disease worldwide. While it’s reported more regularly among women, depression is believed to be under-diagnosed in men. Why? The symptoms of depression are very different between genders.

In men, depression is frequently expressed as anger, irritability or through the display of reckless behavior like drug or alcohol abuse. These indicators are different than the illness’ more characteristic sadness and disinterest, and so for some they’re easily overlooked as the symptoms they are. For others, there is a stigma attached to asking for help due to an underlying fear of being perceived as weak. Each of these scenarios leads to men being generally less likely to seek help, which sadly has led to them being four times more likely to commit suicide than women.

How do you know if you have depression?

Depression goes far beyond simply feeling blue. It may lead you to have a pessimistic outlook on life or to feel hopeless or even angry. You may have low self-esteem, feel apathetic about activities you once enjoyed, experience a change in appetite, be unable to sleep, or have difficulty concentrating.

Are depression and sexual health related?

It’s important to know that depression and erectile dysfunction often co-exist, though it can be a question of which came first. For some men, other symptoms of depression might initially develop before erectile dysfunction (ED) becomes an additional concern. Other men might already be struggling with ED and then develop depression as a result of the frustration or shame they feel about their sex life.

Additionally, many men suffer from low-testosterone as they age. Depression and low-T share common symptoms. While the correlation between the two isn’t fully understand, testosterone therapy is often a mood booster.

What is the treatment for depression?

Depression and sexual health are topics that some men hesitate to talk about with their health professional. Fortunately, they are both very treatable! If you suspect you could be depressed, don’t wait — make an appointment with your doctor immediately. He/she will examine you, ask some simple questions and rule out other potential diagnoses in order to identify a combination of drugs, therapy, and lifestyle choices that are best suited for you.

What else can you do?

Dr. Robert Madda at The Natural Path is here to help you. Dr. Madda is dedicated to treating the symptoms of ED while also treating the underlying causes of the symptoms. His holistic approach takes diet, exercise and other lifestyle elements into account while using state-of-the-art erectile dysfunction and testosterone optimization treatments. Dr. Madda’s goal is to have his patients feeling happier and healthier while enjoying a greatly improved sex life.

Questions? Dr. Madda would love to talk with you. Call his office today!

Categories: Erectile Dysfunction, Mens Health