It's not easy to say exactly what causes depression and anxiety – it's different for everyone. Sometimes a difficult time in you or your mates' life can set off depression or anxiety; sometimes it's caused by a combination of things that have built up over time. And sometimes, there's just no obvious cause at all.
Some risk factors for men developing depression or anxiety include:
- physical health problems
- relationship problems
- employment problems
- social isolation
- significant change in living arrangements (e.g. separation or divorce)
- pregnancy and birth of a baby
- drug and alcohol use.
Read about other causes of depression and causes of anxiety.
Depression and anxiety can affect some men more than others.