Dads get the baby blues too
THE birth of a child can be an emotional roller-coaster ride for most new parents. We have heard countless stories of post-partum depression experienced by new mothers, in particular, but clinical psychologist Dr Pearnel Bell reveals that even daddies have been known to suffer from the baby blues. “Post-partum depression, also referred to as postnatal depression, may be described as a type of clinical depression that affects mothers and fathers after childbirth. They experience a complex emotional tide encapsulating a series of unpredictable actions and reactions,” Dr Bell explained.She points out that while no research has been conducted to assess post-partum depression among fathers, a number of studies conducted in the United States of America show that one in 10 fathers there suffers from post-partum depression.“While studies might not have been conducted in Jamaica to support this argument, one thing is true, and that is that humans react to situations similarly, so we know that families across the world react in a similar way,” Dr Bell reasoned.She said that men who experience this serious psychological condition tend to withdraw from family and friends, feel sadness and emptiness, a strong sense of failure, and may even have suicidal ideations. She said that while their partners and families may identify the men as acting ‘different’, they won’t necessarily consider post-partum depression, even though their symptoms may be more noticeable than those in women.“Symptoms may present two to three weeks after birth and last up to a year. This disorder may go unnoticed, as post-partum depression is associated with females more than males. It is said that the condition may be even more severe in men and may have a greater impact on the family than in females. Fathers with post-partum depression tend not to engage with the children and may be less likely to get involved in their care,” Dr Bell said.For men who struggle with post-partum depression, Dr Bell said that some of the feelings they describe include feeling terrified to engage with the child, a deepened desire to avoid going home, and wanting to spend longer hours at work rather than with the child. She said that the condition as it relates to men is called Paternal Post-partum Depression (PPPD) and can begin in the first trimester of pregnancy.“PPPD is oftentimes linked to the mother’s depression. However, this might not always be so, as some studies show that a man’s hormones also shift during pregnancy and after birth, for reasons that are still unknown. For example, the testosterone levels drop; oestrogen, prolactin and cortisol go up, and some men even develop symptoms such as nausea and weight gain,” Dr Bell explained.This hormonal fluctuation, according to Dr Bell, has been suggested by evolutionary biologist Dr Courtenay A Ray as nature’s way of making sure that fathers stick around and bond with their babies. She explained that with more men showing interest in being involved with the care and development of their children than in the past, it may be argued that they now face the same psychological and emotional issues faced by women during and after pregnancy, which could be the reason for the increase in the number of cases being seen.Dr Bell said that we need to start recognising that these challenges exist, and that men are no less vulnerable to post-partum depression than women. With this in mind, she encouraged families to be more open-minded when men begin acting “differently” during or after the birth of their child. If post-partum depression is suspected, then a man should get the same amount of support from the family as a woman.She recommends that fathers consult counsellors, especially since they may also need medication as a possible option to help them get through this period of depression.
