The Men's D.E.N.

You’re Not Alone: Welcome, Friend.

Pull up a club chair, and make yourself comfortable: Welcome to The Men’s D.E.N., Canada’s premier portal to online male depression information… for men and their loved ones.

“We are all flawed. Each and every one of us. But depression is a flaw in brain chemistry, NOT character. Admitting that we can’t do it alone, that we need help, is a sign of strength, not weakness. Only the boldest and bravest join our band of brothers in the greatest battle of all: fighting the stigma of male depression. Because the walking wounded warriors among us deserve to get better, faster, sooner.”

Regardless of how you landed on this site, you have most likely been handed membership in a club that, believe it or not, is not all that exclusive: men living with depression. In fact, an estimated 11% of Canadian men will receive a diagnosis of depression at some point in their lifetime, a number most likely under-reported given both the cultural conditioning and associated social stigma surrounding men with mental illness.

Depending on your individual case, membership in the “depression club” may be a temporary one, or one that will present you with lifelong challenges. Either way, welcome to a safe, comfortable and non-judgmental corner of the Web.

Please take your time and browse around our D.E.N. to access a wealth of online information, assembled here with a goal of offering you a one-stop shop portal on male depression. Do note however that, The Men’s D.E.N. website is intended for conversational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute a referral, counselling or medical advice/diagnostic service.

And when you are feeling up to it, I invite you to engage in our online conversation. More often than not, you can find me on Twitter as @DysthymicDad. Join in, because silence fuels stigma, and talking about your depression is the first step towards recovery.

Be well.

Jean-François Claude, Founder
The Men’s D.E.N.