Men do not talk about their feelings which they think is not the main thing to do. The challenge has always been that men do not come forward with their mental health difficulties in quite the same way the women do. The mental health of both parents is essential for the well-being of the developing baby. Men mustn't suffer in silence. It is a necessary thing for men to be better at talking about how they feel.
Causes of Postnatal Depression in Men:
When fathers listen about the baby's birth, they feel like they fail as a husband and a father. As many as 1 in 10 dads experience postnatal depression. Fathers thought being a dad for the first time would be exceptional in postnatal depression; it was not what they expected. They feel like they are holding someone's else baby as they did not feel affection and love, just numbness. They started to feel like a failure.
Women go through significant hormonal changes related to having a baby; however, if we think having a baby is a life event, that would be helpful to look at it. Now, life events we know can cause depression, and having a baby is probably one of the most stressful life events that anyone can have.
So, fathers can experience the same psychological and social factors that lead to postnatal depression in the same way the women can feel and experience postnatal depression. The changes that a man may think if he is suffering from Postnatal depression are:
l Insomnia or sleeping too much
l Unwilling or unable to care of newborn
l Not taking care of himself
l Decreased appetite
l Anxiety or irritability
Can Men Suffer from Postpartum Depression?
1. Our Society tends to frame having a new baby as something fascinating and wonderful, which is probably true for most. In some people, it can bring an onslaught of serious challenges. Postpartum depression or PPD is a type of depression experienced mostly by new moms that is very severe and can last several months or years. It goes beyond mood swings and anxiety, which are common after birth experiences. PPD interferes with her ability to handle everyday tasks by causing severe mood swings, feeling of shame, and inadequacy bonding with the infant, perhaps even thoughts about harming them. Up to 1 in 5 women may experience PPD after they have given birth.
2. The leading cause is hormonal, bought on by the fact that estrogen and progesterone rapidly drop after birth, but it is not all physical. The stress of a new baby, lifestyle, a lack of support, or sleep deprivation can also be brought on, which may be at the heart of a new study published in the journal paediatrics Examining PPD in fathers.
3. The study looked at over 10,000 young fathers for about 20 years and found that between 5 and 10% of them experienced clinical depression in their first five years of being a dad. It is only valid for guys who become dads in their 20s who lived with their children. The scientist does not know what is causing the PPD in fathers, but there are no physical changes. It is likely brought on by the lifestyle changes that come with a new baby. They noted that the transition to fatherhood could be challenging, especially when you are young; you might not have a stable job or have thoroughly worked out married life. Parents' mental health status is essential, not just because their quality of life is a stake, but the baby's as well.
4. The first few months after an infant is born, when parent-infant attachment happens, it is the basis for the baby's relationship with the caregivers and the outside world. Studies have found that mothers with PPD have a more challenging time being that a mediator; her challenges can cause a baby to develop a more fearful and suspicious disposition towards life and other people in the future. A mother with PPD has also been liked to behavioral problems in children; now, scientists are examining how the infants' attachment to the father plays a role when the father is affected with PPD.
Why do fathers experience postnatal depression?
Postnatal depression is another form of depression that happens to occur following the birth of the child. The symptoms can be typical sadness, loneliness, not sleeping well, which occurs when you have a kid anyway, not having much appetite, and being more withdrawn. Postpartum depression is also common in dads. It is about 5 to 10% of fathers as opposed to 10 to 25% of mothers. Still, those numbers are likely underestimated because to know the prevalence of an illness, and we need to ask fathers how they are feeling. Most people do not know that postnatal depression in men exists, so you would even be asking about it.
The most important way to cope with postnatal depression is to talk to somebody about it. Cognitive-behavioural therapy is the number one way to learn how to see your emotions for what they are and that there is not, in fact, anything wrong with the child or with yourself. Some people need to resort to antidepressant medications just as they would with any other form of depression.
Solution of postnatal depression in men:
Riverside Counselling has many resources available to help you and guide you in more detail about it. You can read all the books in the world, but until you actually have that child in your arms and you already have to take care of it, the readers will not help you. T Riverside Counselling enables you to deal with postnatal depression without medication and provides you with the natural methods to deal with it.
Conclusion:
Being a dad is the best feeling and thing in life. Postnatal depression is a reality for a lot of people; fortunately, there are many therapeutic and prescription treatments available to help parents cope so they can feel like themselves again and get on with their lives.