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Signs of depression in boys
Thursday, August 05, 1999 By Monica Haynes
Here are signs of depression in boys, as listed in William Pollack's book, "Real Boys, Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood."
1. Increased withdrawal from relationships, and problems in friendships. May become disconnected emotionally, more of a loner.
2. Depleted or impulsive mood. He may act tired, dispassionate, bored, depleted. May stop showing interest in activities he enjoyed.
3. Increase in intensity or frequency of angry outbursts. Smallest provocation may lead boy to verbally or physically lash out.
4. Denial of pain. Even when questioned directly about difficult situations -- a divorce, a death, an alcoholic parent, academic troubles -- the boy may deny he's feeling unhappy.
5. Increasingly rigid demands for autonomy or acting out. He may resist adult authority. May act out in classroom or at home.
6. Concentration, sleep, eating or weight disorders. He may find it difficult to concentrate on any one task. May find himself tired and sleeping too much each day.
7. Inability to cry. If he is physically injured or is in the middle of a traumatic experience, he may fail to shed a tear, appearing more stoic and hardened than usual.
8. Low self-esteem and harsh self-criticism. May say things such as "I'm such a jerk" or "Nobody cares about me."
9. Academic difficulties. A depressed boy may have problems doing well in school.
10. Over-involvement with academic work or sports. May spend all his free time on homework, studying compulsively, or out on the playing fields, avoiding contact with family and friends.
11. Increased aggressiveness. He may act "wild," become difficult to control, pick fights or even intentionally injure others.
12. Increased silliness. Perhaps to mask feelings of sadness, boy may act silly or outrageous. He may become class clown.
13. Avoiding the help of others. Boy will insist he can handle things when others offer support or help.
14. New or renewed interest in alcohol and drugs. In older boys there may be a tendency to more alcohol or drug use.
15. Shift in interest level of sexual encounters. While an obvious healthy adolescent libido does not generally lead to depression, a boy who exhibits radical changes in his sexual behavior may be engaging in obsessive/compulsive behavior.
16. Increased risk-taking behavior. Taking inappropriate or unnecessary risks.
17. Discussion of death, dying or suicide. Especially in adolescence -- but in some cases as early as the elementary school years -- boys who are depressed may initiate discussion of or make casual or even joking references to death, dying or suicide. It's important to listen to any boy who talks about these issues.
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