Men are less likely to seek mental health help than women and more likely to vent their problems through anger or by using alcohol or drugs. Rather than seeking help, men often turn their feelings inward–men are 4 times as likely to commit suicide than women.

Men and depression

• Approximately 6 million American men have depression each year
• Depression is rising among men and decreasing among women
• Illness, especially a life-threatening condition, is another trigger for depression, since it directly impacts a man's sense of strength and control

Exercise helps reduce symptoms of depression

Exercise helps prevent a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis. Exercise can also help reduce anxiety, improve your mood, and help you:

• Gain confidence. Meeting exercise goals, even small ones, can boost your self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance.
• Take your mind off worries. Exercise can take you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression.
• Get more social interaction. By exercising, you can often meet and socialize with others. Just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood can help your mood.
• Cope in a healthy way. Doing something positive to manage anxiety or depression is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to make yourself feel better by drinking alcohol, thinking about how badly you feel, or hoping depression will go away on its own can make things worse.

Friends are good for your health

Friendships can have a major impact on your health and well-being. Friends can:

• Increase your sense of belonging and purpose
• Boost your happiness
• Reduce stress
• Improve your self-worth
• Help you cope with traumas, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one
• Encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise

At Hurley Mental Health Associates, we’re here to help.

Hurley Mental Health Associates is the outpatient mental health clinic of Hurley Medical Center. One of the largest outpatient mental health clinics in Michigan, it is staffed by a group of highly skilled psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians’ assistants who work as a team to help you understand your emotional and behavioral problems. With over 30 professionals on staff ranging in age and ethnic backgrounds, we offer a breadth of personnel that’s unmatched in the region to address the mental health needs of adults, children, adolescents, teens, minorities, and individuals with handicaps or disabilities. 

If you feel you have a mental health problem, please contact Hurley Mental Health Associates at (810) 262-2100 or email us by clicking here. Early diagnosis and treatment can help bring about a speedy recovery and in most cases, prevent your condition from getting worse. For complete information about the conditions we treat and resources that can help you, click here.

Click here to take a self-screening test:

• If you have been feeling down, sad or depressed
• If you have been feeling anxious, worried or agitated
• If you have been moody or are experiencing unexplained changes in your emotions
• If you have suffered a traumatic event