For years, depression was seen as a woman'sissue. And given that women visit psychiatrists and counselors more often thanmen do, and that women seem to have an easier time expressing their emotions,it's understandable why mental health professionals were convinced that morewomen suffered from depression than men.

Yet men commit suicide four times more oftenthan women do. More men than women abuse drugs and alcohol and initiateviolence. Clearly, men aren't less likely than women to become depressed;they're just less likely to recognize and seek help for depression, and theyhave different ways of dealing with it.

Signs of Depression

• Loss of energy
• Significant weight loss or gain
• Feelings or sadness or guilt
• Inability to concentrate or sleep
• Sleeping more than usual
• Drinking alcohol more than usual
• Distancing yourself from family and friends

How Men Are Taught to Cope with Emotional Pain

Generally, men are raised to be in control, independent, strong andrational. We are trained to see life as a constant battle for what we considerour just rewards -- a good job, a nice house and car, a fit body. Ourmachinelike mentality leaves little room for difficult emotions like confusionor sadness. It's considered unmanly to even admit these feelings, which webelieve will slow us down or, even worse, break us down. Rise above your hurtsand pains, we are told.

The Physical Cost of Ignoring Our Mental Health

Unfortunately, what happens to a lot of us intrying to "rise above" the pain is we turn to behaviors that numb thepain -- drugs, alcohol, affairs, gambling. These devices exact a toll on ourbodies, bringing down our physical health along with our mentalhealth.

Depression affects our bodies. In a recentstudy of Johns Hopkins medical students, the depressed men were twice as likelyas the nondepressed men to develop coronary artery disease or have a suddencardiac death. The increased risk lasted for up to 10 years after the onset oftheir depression.