Link Between Male Menopause and Depression

Although it is not widely discussed, male menopause is a real problem for many men. Approximately 40% of men in their 40s, 50s, and 60s suffer from some form of male menopause. Male depression associated with male menopause can be difficult to diagnosis. First of all, the symptoms of depression resulting from male menopause are different from the symptoms of traditional depression. Also, a large percentage of men are reluctant to discuss their feelings, fearing that they will be looked down upon or ridiculed.

Just like women, men experience a phase similar to female menopause. As men age, the levels of hormones produced by a man's body gradually declines. This can have a serious impact on the male's body, emotional state, and sexual behavior.

Men suffering from male depression tend to be irritable, defensive, and angry. They also can be restless and agitated, consumed with self-doubt. Unlike regular depression, they do not sleep too much. Instead, they sleep too little, making their irritability more intensified. They may also be suspicious of others and believe that their situation would be improved if other people would only care about them more.

Another problem associated with male menopause and depression is sexual dysfunction. If a man is having problems with his self-confidence and self-worth, sexual impotence can result in more negative feelings. While this can be an easily corrected problem, many men do not seek medical help. In general, men are very reluctant to discuss sexual impotence with their doctor. This reluctance only prolongs the situation, creating a cycle of depression.

If this depression goes untreated, it can lead to serious consequences. Studies have shown that the suicide rate for men at midlife is three times higher than the national norm. For men 65 or older, the suicide rate is seven times higher than the national norm.

As you can see, it is vital that men feeling the symptoms of male depression seek immediate medical help. Be advised that it can take a very long time to receive a diagnosis of male depression, but in the meantime, you will get help with your symptoms. If you make an appointment to talk with your doctor and find your doctor is dismissive, make an appointment to see another doctor.

Depression resulting from male menopause is a very real and serious medical condition that can be treated successfully. All it takes is the right doctor and persistence.

What Are The Different Types Of Depression?

So what is depression? For me I would describe it as an illness that affects the body and mind, depression affects your self-worth, self-esteem, confidence and your social life, being able to mix with others can be quite a challenge as well, and you even find it quite hard to deal with your own company, you see yourself as someone who has no value to life in general, you find it very hard to think positive and you always assume the worst, you lack motivation and struggle to get going in the morning, it can get to a point where you have no will to live anymore, being at this stage is very serious as there is only one more stage after that and that's taking your own life. When talking to people about this, those that don't really have any idea about the seriousness of depression seem to smirk at the fact that someone could actually take their own life, this kind of response gets to me because most don't take depression serious enough, and then wonders why someone takes their own life.

What are the different types of depression?

Today I want to discuss just two of them, there are other varieties but for today I will take about two. OK the first is major depression, this is a very serious type of depression and would suggest that the sufferer would have had depression for quite some time to get to this stage, possible 1-2 months or even longer, this depends on a variety of things. Symptoms of major depression are as followed, lack of eating resulting from a loss of appetite, changes in their weight, sleeping issues and a feeling of worthlessness, and loneliness, these are the main symptoms of major depression, but there are a lot more than just these. OK the second I want to discuss is manic depression, the symptoms are very similar to major depression, they are as followed, loneliness, a lack of energy, becoming irritated a lot, sleeping issues, can experience pain in certain parts of the body, usually the back is one of those areas, manic depression sufferers usually experience irregular thought patterns and with that find it very hard to focus on anything for a long period of time, this can also happen with major depression sufferers.

Treatment for these conditions can be fairly easily if caught in the early stages, however if not the condition can be treated but it will take a lot longer and different methods will need to be implemented, but in saying that all types of depression can be treated and cured. My belief is that all depression can be treated through using natural methods, for this to take place the depression sufferer first need to make the decision to want to change and if there is a big enough want a path can be created.

Depression and Emotional Abuse in a Relationship - 5 Signs They May Be Linked

Depression affects a large number of people. Whether it is unresolved grief, current circumstances, and/or brain chemistry issues, the symptoms are similar. Often, people experience feelings of sadness, low energy, hopelessness, anxiety about the future, and loss of interest in normally pleasurable activities. There may also be appetite changes or changes in sleep habits.

One aspect of depression that is frequently overlooked is the role that a person's partner or significant other may play in provoking the symptoms. Emotional and psychological abuse often leads to lower self esteem, hopelessness, feelings of inferiority, and sometimes questioning of the victim's own sanity. Here are 5 signs your depression may be related to emotional and psychological abuse in your relationship:

1.  Your partner puts you down, in public or in private. This may be in the form of blatant insults, or more subtle criticisms about your character, competency, intelligence, or even mental health.

2.  Your partner discourages or prohibits you from seeing and spending time with friends and family. This may manifest as an obvious manipulation, "They hate me and I don't want you seeing them," to a more subtle "You would leave me alone to go see them?"

3.  Your partner attempts to control your activities. You may feel obligated to give an account of your daily activities, and justify your actions. You may feel pressured to act in a certain way and do certain activities "approved" by your partner.

4.  Your partner uses sex to gain control of you. This may manifest in the form of demanding you fulfill the abuser's sexual needs regardless of the expense to you. It may also come out as a withholding of sex and affection to keep you feeling rejected, vulnerable, and needy.

5.  Your partner threatens you with non-physical consequences if you do not comply with his or her demands. This may be interrupted by occasional moments of kindness or generosity. However, these gestures are made not out of sacrifice and love, but are a deliberate tactic to draw you back into the relationship and plant false hope that the relationship will change or improve.

How To Fight Depression By Choosing New Friends

I totally agree that having ones core values written down, even framed and stuck in ones room is beneficial to "staying on course" with who one is. Just ask yourself repeatedly what you believe in and the answers will come. If you are looking for self-awareness and self-appreciation you must ask yourself who you are and what do you stand for. "Ask and he shall find". "Knock and the door shall be opened unto you". If you ask yourself enough times (especially before going to sleep as this is when your subconscious is really working) you will get you answer - I promise you.. but you must ask with faith

Regarding the company you keep, of course this is really important. If you find that a person is ridiculing you - you must stand up for your self. Why?. Because when a person is suffering from low self-esteem or in the process of overcoming depression, suggestion can be very powerful. What this means is that when a person is not so sure of himself, when another "friend" says something to this person, the implication can stick. The only reason the implication or comment sticks is because the person is suffering from low self-esteem. All this however can be solved by adopting a few new beliefs..

For example a great belief to have is "Never let a person's opinion of you become your reality." People say negative things to other people for a variety of reasons such as jealousy, they themselves suffer from low self-esteem and hide it through aggressiveness, etc.. A lot of people who seem assertive and loud are actually very weak people at their core.

For example if a person shouts down at me or tells me something negative, just to make sure that this will not implanted on my mind, I speak up and deny it, not shouting back but just in an assertive tone. There is power in your words and the more times you talk yourself up, the more self-confidence you will gain..

The acid test in terms of who you hang around with is this. If I were to meet your 5 best friends, you would be the average of them in everything. From finances to positivity to happiness, etc. You are what you hang around and with friends you must be ruthless with whom you spend your time..

If a person speaks negatively to you, you must walk away. You become what you think about. If you are talking negatively all the time, you will be thinking negatively which will lead to a negative life..

If you want a happy life, get around positive people who want to do something with their lives. Get around people who always focus on solutions, not problems.. If you can do this, your life will change, guaranteed..

I'm Depressed - Let Me Go to Sleep: Sleep Apnea Linked to Depression

Did you know depression affects nearly 18 million Americans or nearly 10% of the US population. While the causes of depression are many, new studies have recently linked depression to a lack of sleep caused primarily by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused when the airways collapse periodically during sleep. This causes the sufferer to wake up at intervals, before falling asleep again. Instead of having a continuous rest period, their sleep is broken up into tiny fragments, so the next morning they are excessively tired and feel drowsy throughout the day.

Recent studies carried out on individuals to study the correlation between OSA and depression found the following:

• 800 individuals out of 10,000 individuals had both disorders namely obstructive sleep apnea and depressive disorder.


• More OSA patients (approximately 29%) met the criteria for depression.


• 50% of individuals who are affected by OSA are above the age of 65 and of these 26% have both disorders (OSA and depression).

Unfortunately, the patients who have depressive symptoms are rarely assessed for obstructive sleep apnea.

The shared symptoms in OSA and depression which researches have noted are:

• Generalized fatigue


• Lack of concentration and alertness


• Daytime sleepiness


• Gasping for breath


• Snorting


• Poorly motivated


• Irritability


• Withdrawn


• Lack of energy


• Memory loss


• Mood swings


• Losing pleasure in daily activities


• Cognitive impairment


• Headaches


• Dry mouth and throat


• Psychological problems.

The severity of these symptoms may vary from individual to individual and the impact they have on daily activities may also differ. But, as the symptoms of both these disorders mimic the symptoms of each other, they are often left untreated, misdiagnosed or are often not diagnosed at all.

What can you do if you or your loved ons show signs of either depression and you suspect it may be due to obstructive sleep apnea?

First, consult with your primary doctor. Advise him of your symptoms. Sleep apnea has gained nationwide attention in recent years and most doctors will not hesitate to order a sleep study if some symptoms of sleep apnea are present.

Secondly, if you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, wear the prescribed therapy which usually means wearing a CPAP machine at night. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure and is a small device that generates a positive air pressure that "splints" opens the airways at night to prevent the airway from collapsing. It is worn with a mask while you sleep. The past few years have generated new mask and technologies that are making CPAP easier to wear and tolerate.

By treating your obstructive sleep apnea and getting a good nights sleep you may find, as many studies have shown, that your depressive symptoms may also begin to go away making life enjoyable once again.

So if your feeling tired and "blue" it may not be depression alone, it may be time for a sleep study!

What Does It Feel Like When You Are Depressed?

Just a little about me, my name is Rebecca White and I have dealt with some form of depression my whole life. I have heard it all: "Why don't you just snap out it of it?" or "Your life is fine so what do you have to be depressed about?" it doesn't matter what goes on in my life depression has nothing to do with what is going on around me.

I wrote this short article to help others know how it feels when a person is suffering from depression. Its not the best article but this article was written on one of my "bad days".

I can be on the top of the world one day and the next wake up with this over whelming urge to cry, to not do anything, and not know why I went to bed the night before happy and woke up like nothing is going to go right.

Depression can stem from a chemical imbalance, or from dealing with a stress in your life that you cannot seem to handle.

What does it feel like to be depressed?

The world around you feels like it is gray, you don't realize the beautiful things that are going on around you. You don't notice the butterflies or the wonderful rainbows in the sky after a rain.

You feel like you are alone even in a crowd.

You don't feel like you are worth it, or that no one loves you even when in truth those around them will tell them they are loved.

You don't feel successful, you feel like a constant failure, even if you are not.

You don't feel joy out of the small things, you don't really notice what is going on around you. You fail to find joy out of a flower or butterflies

The day to day life just passes you by

Being depressed is not something we who deal with depression want to live with. For some of us the only way to cope is to take depression meds to help us deal with the depression and help improve our chemical imbalance.

My hope is that if you can read how a person feels when they are depressed someone will have a better knowledge of how to help the loved one by knowing what he/she may be feeling.

Help your loved one seek out professional help, be there for them, try your best not to say the old cliche's those do not help no matter how much you think it will. To be honest telling us to snap out of it will only sink some of us farther down as it will only enforce what we ourselves are feeling.

During Pregnancy, Is Diet Coke Harmful Or Not?

Love diet coke? You need not stop drinking this drink during pregnancy period. This is because there is no strong evidence that suggests that it poses harm to either the mother or baby during pregnancy. But yes, but you need to drink it in moderation; there is no doubt about that!

What Does Diet Coke Contain?

It contains aspartame, better known as "NutraSweet", which is a sweetener without calories. It is used in various diet sodas and foods. This substance has two amino acids. Till now, there has been no proof that suggests that diet coke and pregnancy do not go together. However, makes sure to have ONLY ONE per day.

The best pregnancy diet would not suggest taking more than one can per day as they are devoid of any nutrition. It is better to indulge in fruit juices, milk, and water instead of it. But, for those pregnant women who cannot live without gulping a can of diet coke a day, a little indulgence does not pose any harm.

Diabetic Women, Beware!

Although there is no concrete evidence of any harmful effects, it's advisable for diabetic women to stay away from such beverages. It has been found that aspartame disturbs the blood sugar level. Hence, it may pose a threat to diabetics. The right pregnancy diabetic diet would never recommend the intake of such drink.

Consuming large amounts of aspartame leads to memory loss in diabetics, as phenylalanine and aspartic acid become neurotoxic in the absence of other amino acids present in protein. They break the blood brain barrier and impair the neurons in brain, leading to brain damage, depression, seizures, panic attacks, manic depression, violent behavior, and rage.

The Deadly Saccharin

Although moderate amount of pregnancy diet coke containing aspartame is not harmful in healthy women, soft drinks containing saccharin are best to be avoided. Studies have shown teratogenic effects in rodents who had been given saccharin. Teratogenic effect means that they were the cause of birth defects and abnormal development of fetus.

Saccharin has also been found to be carcinogenic in rats. So, if you are fond of picking those pink sachets that are commonly found lying on coffee shop tables, you need to change this habit fast. They are saccharin packets!

If you are pregnant, it's best to cut down on diet coke. However, if you are crazy about cokes, you need not stop it altogether for the full nine months.