June 15, 2007: "...Being female is a risk factor for internalizing disorders such as anxiety and depression, while being male is a risk factor for suicide completion, for alcohol and drug dependency, and for externalizing disorders such as antisocial personality disorder." -- Aaron White, PhD, Visions Journal Vol. 2 Issue 5, 2005
Given that I've had anxiety and depression in the past, I refute this generalization that gender has risk factors. While I've never committed suicide, there may have been times when I contemplate it but it is just a brief thought not worth examining in detail.
As well, I accept that alcohol and drug dependency is a male risk factor. Yet both addictions are substitutions for socialization, i.e. interpersonal relationships.
While I am not sure if my disorders have an antisocial component to it, it is not a small stretch to consider solitude antisocial if one prefers it over knocking back a beer in a pub and then socializing with friends and complete strangers.
However, it's more likely that I am asocial but consider it to be a behavior disorder since I usually try not to alienate people while out in public.
Overall though, gender risk factors only look at statistics. In the process of doing so, they ignore the unique circumstances of each individual. As a result, I can honestly state that none of these risk factors apply to me.
Update: 20130111.1704 - Looks like it was just a case of nerves. :)
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