If you're a man in your 40s or 50s and you’ve been told you're "just depressed," it might be time to ask whether you're actually experiencing the natural but impactful hormonal changes associated with andropause.

Before accepting a prescription for antidepressants, ask your GP to consider a full blood test, with hormonal biomarkers; especially if your symptoms are accompanied by fatigue, sexual dysfunction, or loss of vitality. You might not be mentally ill. You might just be hormonally imbalanced and in need of targeted support.

In recent decades, increasing attention has been given to men’s mental health, particularly surrounding the often-overlooked phenomenon of andropause—sometimes referred to as “male menopause.” Unlike the relatively abrupt hormonal changes experienced by women in menopause, andropause is a gradual decline in testosterone levels that can begin in men as early as their 30s or 40s. While this condition is still not universally recognized in all clinical circles, a growing body of evidence suggests that andropause may be a significant factor in midlife male depression, and alarmingly, in increased suicide risk among men.