This week on Coronation Street Aidan Connor committed suicide, but could his death have been prevented? The short answer is ‘yes’, but unfortunately, although suicide is very preventable, it is the single biggest killer of men under 45.

50% of all those who die by suicide have been diagnosed with Depression and by 2020 it is estimated that Depression will be the second most disabling condition in the world after heart disease. However, Depression is both preventable and treatable. There are currently two effective treatments for Depression, medication in the form or antidepressants and the talking therapy Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), both are available on the NHS through your GP.

However, the problem is that although men are no more likely to suffer from depression than women they are much less likely to seek help, either because they do not realise that what they are experiencing is Depression and can be treated or because of the stigma that is attached to this diagnosis. So, what are the signs that we should be looking out for in ourselves or in those that we love.  Ask these questions and if you answer yes to one or more of them it is worth talking to your GP about the possibility that you (or someone you care for) is suffering from Depression:

• Do you (or someone you care for) feel sad for much of the time and can’t seem to snap out of it?
• Do you (or someone you care for) feel you have nothing to look forward to?
• Do you (or someone you care for) look back on your life and see a lot of failures?
• Do you (or someone you care for) no longer get real satisfaction from anything?
• Do you (or someone you care for) feel guilty a lot of the time?
• Do you (or someone you care for) feel disappointed in yourself?
• Do you (or someone you care for) feel irritated much of the time?
• Do you (or someone you care for) struggle to make decisions?
• Do you (or someone you care for) have to push yourself really hard to get anything done?
• Do you (or someone you care for) struggle to get to sleep and then wake after only a few hours?
• Do you (or someone you care for) feel tired easily? Is your appetite not as good as it used to be?
• Are you (or someone you care for) less interested in sex than you used to be?