Postpartum Depression...in Men?

As a newly father(for the second time) it dawned on me that here at ClinicallySpeaking, we have never done a blog post of postpartum, thought this would be an appropriate time to do one. So lets do this!!!

Lets start at the beginning, What is Postpartum Depression? Depression suffered by a mother following childbirth, typically arising from the combination of hormonal changes, psychological adjustment to motherhood, and fatigue. Not all Postpartum Depressions are created equal, not all mothers will have the same symptoms as one another much like any diagnosis or disease that can be treated. They have similar qualities and must meet criteria but never the same in all. 

This is such an enormous topic that there are many mental health websites that are dedicated to helping women find the right treatment and help. The specific website that I research with the best information was http://www.postpartum-depression-blog.com. While perusing the website for interesting topics for this particular blog post an interesting topic came up....Postpartum for Men? What? Really? No???...Turns out Yes! As reported on the website "A study published by the Journal of Advanced Nursing indicates that 24 – 50% of all men that experience postpartum depression within one year have a partner suffering from the same condition." Are you shocked? If you break it down to its simplicity about 6 million men suffer from depression every year. This is about 7 percent of the population. Nearly twice as many women (more than 12 million) suffer from depression each year. If you look at it from that standpoint it isn't so surprising. Often the men who have children begin feeling that they feel no connection with their newborn, or feel overwhelmed with having to care for another person which could spiral into depression and anxiety. 

There is more and more research being done in this area of Postpartum Depression for Men, this is just a taste and to be aware if you are an expectant soon to be father or mother. It would be a good idea for both of you dad and mom to brush up and make sure you are aware of the different  services you can obtain if either of you are feeling the "baby blues" when your little one come around. If you have just given birth there is a social worker in every hospital and if you are feeling depressed you can administer a quick quiz to determine if you are suffering from Postpartum Depression. Here is the link to the quiz: Postpartum Depression Quiz. 

Have a good Monday!

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