Generally, men are raised to be in control, independent, strong and rational. Our machinelike mentality leaves little room for difficult emotions like confusion or sadness. It's considered unmanly to even admit these feelings, which we believe will slow us down or, even worse, break us down. Rise above your hurts and pains, we are told. These devices exact a toll on our bodies, bringing down our physical health along with our mental health.
Depression affects our bodies.
In a recent study of Johns Hopkins medical students, the depressed men were twice as likely as the nondepressed men to develop coronary artery disease or have a sudden cardiac death. The increased risk lasted for up to 10 years after the onset of their depression. It doesn't mean you've failed. It simply means something isn't working in your life and you need to discover what that is. The depression may be a signal that you need to address unresolved feelings about your childhood or that you're not happy pursuing goals you once thought were important.