What Is Masculine Depression, and How Is It Treated?

Article here. Excerpt:

'MDRS-22 assesses what is called masculine depression. Masculine depression differs from the classical presentation in important ways. It emphasizes externalizing symptoms such as aggression, avoidant behaviors, emotional suppression, risk-taking, and self-medicating with drugs.

Note that masculine depression is not the same as male depression (i.e., it does not refer to a mental illness that occurs only in men). It is a subtype of depression, which means women may receive the diagnosis too.

Masculine depression is more likely to occur in women who assume male gender roles, for example, in single mothers exposed to the chronic stress of trying to pursue a career while raising a family alone.

In addition, both men and women with masculine depression reported less mental health-related use of medical and psychiatric services despite having more problematic substance use patterns (e.g., higher binge drinking).'