Kashish Sharma
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Written By: Kashish Sharma | Published : January 23, 2023 6:50 PM IST
Paternal depression is associated with alcohol misuse, poor father-infant bonding, and a higher risk of marital or relationship discord.
A form of depression that can affect new parents is called postpartum depression. It is a mental health condition and in no way suggests that a parent dislikes his or her child. The condition can be prompted by a number of physiological and psychological factors. While the condition is more often diagnosed in women, it affects men as well. You heard it right! Postpartum depression can also affect new fathers. The form of depression can affect around 25 per cent of men.
Male postpartum depression might not be essentially obvious and develop gradually over a period. As per experts, within 3 to 6 months of delivery, fathers also undergo many physiological and emotional changes that can make them prone to suffering from depression.
Around one in ten fathers of infants suffer depression. Paternal depression is associated with alcohol misuse, poor father-infant bonding, and a higher risk of marital or relationship discord. Men are often misdiagnosed with other mental health conditions and only 10 per cent of cases are diagnosed with paternal depression. There is a lack of awareness and less conversation around the topic.
Emerging studies are exploring how pregnancy can bring out physiological and psychological changes in a parent that might not experience it directly. Some of the causes can be biological. Some amount of neuroplasticity (brain adaptability and changes) has been observed in new fathers who might show heightened empathy and better perception of infant-related stimuli. A father might also experience hormonal shifts such as a drop in testosterone levels that can make them less aggressive. There might also be an increase in the levels of hormones such as estrogen, cortisol and others. In short, these hormonal fluctuations can affect a father's mood and appetite.
There are other factors that might contribute such as a strained relationship with the spouse, financial difficulties, guilt of not feeling the same connection as mothers might have with the child, lack of sleep, changes in routine and lack of external support.
The symptoms of postpartum depression can be the same for men and women. However, men are less likely to be diagnosed with it. Here are some common signs-
