Andropause and Depression

Andropause correlates directly with depression ? a major player in the notorious mid-life crisis period men face in their late 40´s to late 50´s. There are a wide variety of symptoms and conditions hormone-wrecked men experience during this mid-life transition ? everything from the mental (i.e. irritability) to the physical (loss of libido, lack of energy, and weight gain.) Depression, left untreated, can be a disabling condition.

Andropause depression is due to dropping levels of testosterone. Low testosterone levels cause many depressive symptoms ? among them, a general indifference to events surrounding you, the inability to concentrate, extreme irritability, and memory loss. We might stress over things that might otherwise be worry-free in a normal situation and brood over certain matters. Our memory might go down the drain and we begin to see our lives in a negative light.

Energy levels plummet and enthusiasm for the activities we used to enjoy become flat-lined. Insomnia and restlessness is also a common symptom. Normal everyday things might become a burden to us, and the simplest shout of a child can make us excessively irritable. Psychologists use a variety of battery tests to figure out whether you suffer from depression. Besides handing you test sheets to work with, they also place you under observation ? noticing your behavior, tendencies, and habits while talking to them.

Men tend to be rebellious creatures by nature. We love shrugging off our faults and being poised in the midst of emotional trouble. We take on the role as masculine creatures ? lion kings of the jungle that reign over the sprawling landscape we call life. Men can be in full denial when it comes to questions about their sexual ability and prowess. Refusing to understand that we aren't who we once were with our sexual performance as a result of Andropause is in our blood. Fellas, it is time to become aware and acquainted with the severity of your depression.

Off the bat, there are facts and figures supporting depression as a major problem. For one, 80% of all suicides in the United States are carried out by men. The majority of people with this condition never seek the advice and counsel of therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Probably the most shocking fact of all is the male suicide rate is highest during the Andropause years. You read correctly ? highest during the years we're specifically talking about.

How do we deal with these devastating changes to our lives? How can we manage stress to reduce the chances of clinical depression? For one, we must follow a daily exercise regimen. That coupled with a caffeine-free diet will boost our immune systems to fight disease. It will also slow down the aging process. Aim to maintain that explosive 30-inch, vertical leap well into your 60s! Another is doing the activities we love. Don't stray from playing your pick-up basketball games with buddies or building those go-carts from scratch as a hobby. Stick to them and enjoy the satisfaction of doing so. Distract yourself from your current condition without ignoring it completely.

Maintain a social network of friends and family that will cheer you up when you need it most. Something as simple as having your young child shove a hand drawing of a red school bus in your face can provide for laughs and smiles. The most important piece of advice is to accept your condition and make accommodations. For example, low testosterone levels can easily be supplemented with testosterone cream. It's bound to happen to all of us, and you either have the choice of making the best of it or letting it overwhelm you. Awareness is critical, and an optimistic attitude, followed with physical activity and a solid nutritional plan, is the best means of fighting Andropause, anti-aging, and the demon known as depression.

Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant with over 25 years experience. She specializes in internet marketing, strategy and plan development, as well as management of communications and public relations programs for small business sectors. She can be reached at Creative Communications: creative-com@cox.net or by visiting http://www.everythingmenopause.com or http://www.internet-marketing-small-business .com

---

Omega 3 EPA: Natures Very Own Anti-depressant

Since Dr Malcolm Peet, a consultant psychiatrist at Sheffield swallow court hospital released his findings about the effects of Ethyl Epa and its effects on people suffering... Read More

The Formula for Preventing Depression

While it is arguable that depression is not always preventable, there are many cases, when using the following ideas, will keep you in good spirits - most... Read More

St Johns Wort and Depression

The bright yellow flower of the St Johns Wort (hypericum perforatum) with it's ray-like petals, represents the power of the sun that forces away the darkness. This... Read More

Ten Tips For Beating Depression

I heard about a woman who was suffering from depression, so her concerned husband took her to a psychiatrist. The doctor listened to the couple talk about... Read More

Major Depression and Manic Depression ? Any Difference?

Countless number of patients and their family members have asked me about manic?depression and major depression. "Is there any difference?" "Are they one and the same?" "Is... Read More

Biological Psychiatry Confirms of Efficacy and Safety of VNS Therapy for Depression

The September 1, 2005 issue of Biological Psychiatry confirmed the efficacy and safety of vagus nerve stimulation for chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression. The U.S. Food and... Read More

FDA Deems Vagus Nerve Therapy Approvable as a Treatment for Depression

On February 3, 2005 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified the manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator (Cyberonics, Inc.) that it had deemed its VNS... Read More

Depression Keeps 19 Million Adults From Being Productive

Approximately 19 million American adult workers allow depression to limit their productivity. According to the American Medical Women's Association, this includes 5 million women, many of whom... Read More

Depression-My Story

What is depression?Depression is a serious medical illness; it's not something that you have made up in your head. It's more than just feeling "down in the... Read More

Depression: What It Is and What You Can Do About It

There are three basic ways to treat depression: psychotherapy, self-help, and medication. Many people respond best to a combination of two or more methods.Psychotherapy: Exploring one's beliefs... Read More

7 Things You Can Do Immediately To Ease Depression

1. Get out now and walk fifteen minutes. It will get your feet moving and help you feel you are at least able to do something.2. Go... Read More

Aromatherapy and Depression

When artiste Leslie Cheung committed suicide, he left behind a trail of speculations amidst sighs of regret. News of his "depression" arose. The realisation that even a... Read More

Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic or Treatment-Resistant Depression About Vagus Nerve Stimulation(VNS) VNS is not brain surgery, although it is a treatment that affects the function of... Read More

When Your Mind Develops A Mind Of Its Own

We've all been there? One minute your listening intently as your mother in law tells you for the tenth time about the people she met on her... Read More

Depression Series: Why Don?t I Respond to Medications? (Part 1)

Maria has been feeling depressed for at least two and a half years. About three years ago, her husband of 20 years left her for another woman.... Read More

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Should be Used Early in Treatment when Traditional Antidepressants Fail

Lifetime Prevalence of Depression and the Age-of-Onset Report Distributions of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM) in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication The paragraph title sounds... Read More

I?m Not Depressed; I?ve Just Been Having A Lousy Conversation With Myself

Not long ago, I attended a mastermind group. During the meeting, one of the women went into a litany about how terrible things had been in the... Read More

Recognizing Depression

Depression is a serious issue. There are simply hundreds of thousands of people who deal with depression on a daily basis. Are you one of them? Do... Read More

How to Uncover the Reason You Cant Sleep Tonight

If you are like me ...you love your sleep!Sleep deprivation has numerous positive but also negative effects. It may break our sleep neurons due to long times... Read More

Aspartame and Your Mental Health

In 1965, a chemist working to develop an ulcer drug accidentally discovered a substance 200 times sweeter than sugar. The FDA initially shunned this substance because it... Read More

Antidepressants 101- What You Absolutely Need to Know

IntroductionChange in social and economical states throughout the world although has brought prosperity among the individuals of the world but at a price. It has brought both... Read More

How You Can Learn To Treat Depression

When a person undertakes a course of therapy through their doctor, and there is no improvement, they may be suffering from a treatment resistant depression.This is difficult,... Read More

Mental Health Stigma ? What Can We Do About It?

What is Stigma? Stigma is the use of stereotypes and labels when describing someone, and it is often attached to people who suffer from mental health issues.... Read More

New FDA Approved Therapy for Depression: Timeline from Prescription to Procedure

On July 18, 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) approved vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for chronic depression. On August 18th, I was a part... Read More

A Look at the Different Depression and Anxiety Medications

While it may be easy to recite the various brand names and generalize their benefits enough to know they put us (or are supposed to put us)... Read More

Depression

The 'experts' have tried to evaluate me as a sufferer of this but found no such evidence or behavior. The same was true for all other mental... Read More