Just what are the signs of a man who is struggling with depression? According to many medical professionals, they include the following: isolation; lack of sleep; anger and lashing out;

a low sex drive (or erectile dysfunction); constant headaches, problems digesting food; suddenly drinking more or participating in reckless behavior like binging on porn or compulsively gambling. 

If you notice any

or all of these, don’t ignore them. For the record, men with depression are as much as four times more likely to commit suicide than women. It’s nothing to take

lightly.

If you decide to approach your loved one about how they are feeling, be prepared to do more listening than talking. Inundating them with information, opinions and statistics is only going

to make them irritated and/or want to retreat even more. It’s also a good idea to know some of the things that can trigger their depression in the first place:

stress at work; marital problems; financial obligations; low self-esteem; a chronic illness or disability; death of a loved one or even if they quit a habit like smoking (because it

can temporarily alter their hormonal balance in the body). If you are aware that some of these things are happening, it can give you a handle on what kinds of

questions to ask and what sort of emotional support you can offer.

Think about how you might want someone to speak to you if you were depressed. In dealing with anyone who battles depression, it’s important to be as empathetic as you

possibly can. Avoid being combative or forceful in your approach. Try and be aware of your body language and tone. They already don’t have enough energy in them to be on

the defensive. The gentler you are in talking it out, the more apt they will probably be to hear what you have to say.

No one is going to get to feeling better if they are constantly eating junk. That said, not caring for one’s self is another telltale sign of depression. If you’re

noticing lots of junk food wrappers in the car or in your house, prepare meals that contain foods that are proven to improve his moods. Some of those include chicken

and turkey (protein); water (flushes out toxins); leafy greens (iron); oats (they have the most-boosting mineral selenium in them) and dark chocolate (it increases endorphins in the body).

Although some forms of mild depression can be alleviated over time at home, in most cases, depression is something that also needs the assistance of a professional. If after trying

out these things, you still don’t see any improvements, encourage him to see a medical professional soon. If they refuse, call one to get some additional advice. Depression is something

that must be handled with care, but definitely handled. For more information visit the National Institute of Mental Health.