Feeling blue? Photo source: iStockphoto.com

Depression and anxiety are very common among gay men, and some of the most common reasons why some gay men feel depressed include the homophobia surrounding them of the feeling of guilt. I have many gay friends that use to feel guilty about being gay, because they believe they have not only disappointed and saddened their family, but also their friends. However, this isn`t a general rule. When it comes to depression, it  is classified in chronic depression and severe depression. Fortunately, both of them can be treated.

Some gay men can be depressed and don`t even know it. While for some members of the LGBT community, depression is something temporar, something that comes and goes and usually lasts a few hours to a couple of days, others have learnt to grow up with it and live with it. Depression can begin since the teenage years, when the teenager gay boy gets ridiculized, he is being mocked on or even thrown out of the house by his own parents because of his sexual orientation.

As said above, both chronic and severe depression can be treated, but sometimes besides counseling and group therapy, medication is needed as well (antidepressants, from mild ones to strong ones such as Prozac and its "relatives" according to the intensity of the depression). However, these antidepressants often happen to cause side effects, which vary according to how strong the antidepressant is. The most known side effects are weight gain, insomnia, nausea or the loss of libido. However, while these side effects can really affect some people, others don`t even experience them.

For a depressed gay man that tries to get rid of his depression, support is stronger than any antidepressant. Going to the psychologist and taking a bunch of pills is worth nothing without the help and support of your friends and those who truly love you and are willing to stay next to you. A simple phone call or a text message can work like magic for a depressed gay man, because knowing that you`re not alone and that there`s always somebody behind your back who supports you always helps.

Besides the awful feelings depression brings, there are some "side effects" of depression that must be taken very seriously by every depressed gay man. We all must be aware of the thoughts and ideas that sometimes depression can cause, those little "flashes" that simply cross our minds, and we must know that suicide is NOT an option. Not in this world, and definitely not for the strong on es. It`s always good to talk about your thoughts with somebody whom you completely trust, because this way you will get to know how your friends think about your problem or what methods they suggest for solving a particular problem.

To sum up, I would like to advice all the depressed gay men not to quit. Depression  affects half of planet so you`re not the only one who goes through this, we all have to fight it because otherwise it can take over our lives, and that isn`t good.

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