Anthony Isacco identifies the symptoms of male depression related to childbirth and why health professionals don’t notice those symptoms.
There are over 70 million fathers in the United States. Most of those 70 million fathers will celebrate Father’s Day by doing the typical stuff – going to the golf course, trying on a new pair of socks, and spending time with their children and family. For me and my family, Father’s Day is a pretty relaxed day – I try to go for a run, drink a good cup of coffee (black), and have some fun with my four “live-wires”, commonly known as my daughters. The comedian Jim Gaffigan has a great bit about 4 Kids – to summarize, imagine yourself drowning in the ocean and someone hands you a baby (instead of a life preserver)!
For some fathers, however, it may be difficult to celebrate Father’s Day; life with children is not always a laughing matter. If you don’t know, there are depressed dads out there. Statistics are tough to come by, but as many as 10% of fathers may experience depression in the postpartum period. Common symptoms of depression may include loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, noticeable weight fluctuations, and social withdrawal. Fathers may experience atypical signs or a “masked” depression such as anger, irritability, excessive alcohol use, and other self-destructive and aggressive behaviors.
The problem is that the very fathers that need help because they are depressed, are not receiving it because of being depressed. It is a pretty nasty trap to be in.
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To learn more about depression and fathers, I recently conducted a research study. I was shocked that only about 3.2% had sought counseling services in the past year. Only 3.2%! I thought that 3.2% may accidentally stumble into a counseling office. Depression and not seeking counseling services seemed to go hand-in-hand. The problem is that the very fathers that need help because they are depressed, are not receiving it because of being depressed. It is a pretty nasty trap to be in.
The barriers to fathers seeking and receiving help for depression are numerous and complex. After the birth of a child, most attention and care goes to the mom and baby. Depression among men and fathers is often overlooked, minimized, or denied. Men have a tendency to hide vulnerable emotions like depression and may be hesitant to seek help. Fathers are also like an offensive lineman on a football team – in the trenches, doing the dirty work, hoping that their child(ren) find an open path to success and health. Offensive lineman are rarely noticed except when they are called for a penalty. Men try to be ‘good fathers’ by putting their needs aside to focus on their family health and wellbeing. A possible downside to this noble approach is unrecognized, untreated, and unsolved depression.
As a father, I was never asked by a health professional about depression or mental health in any way.
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Health professionals are more attuned to maternal postpartum depression. Some states such as New Jersey and Illinois have enacted laws that mandate screening for postpartum depression in mothers. My wife has delivered four babies in three different hospitals, in three different states. As a father, I was never asked by a health professional about depression or mental health in any way. During our most recent visit to the labor and delivery unit in March 2015, I decided to count the number of health professionals that came into our room during the day. I lost track after 25. Not one asked me a single question about my mental health.
It is time for the health professions to recognize that depression is real for fathers and can have detrimental effects for the father and the family. By properly identifying and treating depression, fathers become healthier, which in turn, contributes to greater family health.
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Anthony Isacco, PhD is an assistant professor in the MSCP Counseling Psychology and PsyD Counseling Psychology graduate programs at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. He is the author of several professional publications on father involvement, father mental health, and men’s health.
This article originally published at the Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity.
Photo by cheriejoyful/flickr used under Creative Commons 2.0 license.
Thanks for writing this. I think there needs to be more discussion around this, because having a kid (even when you have kids already) is a shock to the damn system. Between the sudden change to your life and relationships, the adrenaline, the hospital, the sleep deprivation and on and on, it’s no wonder “not-mums” get PPD too. I wonder, even, if there’s a high correlation between “good dads” and PPD in men as I think often the pressure (even if only internal) to not be a deadbeat and be a good father leads to good dads ignoring their own… Read more »