Father's Day expert available on why postpartum depression in dads often goes unnoticed

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Father's Day expert available on why postpartum depression in dads often goes unnoticed

About one in 10 fathers experience postpartum depression, yet many never seek help

CHICAGO - Postpartum depression can affect fathers too, especially as they are increasingly involved in the family dynamic. Research shows that about 10% of fathers experience postpartum depression around the time of their child's birth. The true number may be higher because men often express depression differently and are less likely to seek help.

Ahead of Father's Day, Dr. Sheehan Fisher, a fatherhood expert and Northwestern Medicine psychologist is available for print and broadcast interviews to discuss paternal postpartum depression and what families can do to recognize warning signs and support struggling dads.

Below is a Q&A with Fisher, who also is associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Q: Why is Father's Day an important time to talk about paternal postpartum depression?
"We want to celebrate the dads who are involved in doing more, but also understand that just because we celebrate that day doesn't mean that year has been easy for them. So, Father's Day is a great opportunity to educate people about postpartum depression. Oftentimes, dads aren't aware that they're at risk for it, don't feel justified to even complain. They might feel obligated to pretend that they're happy and everything's okay. They may not realize that they're not alone in that experience."

Q: Why are many new dads not aware of paternal postpartum depression?
"People might assume that fathers aren't impacted by having a baby and therefore miss the signs of either depression, anxiety or other symptoms that fathers experience. Today, fathers are more involved than their predecessors in the family, and they are experiencing similar stressors than mothers. Similar - but not the same - because we still don't have equity in the home. Additionally, men are more likely to engage in masculine depression. Therefore, the traditional measures of depression might miss those signs.

Q: What do you mean when you say masculine depression?
"Masculine depression is just a cultural experience of depression. So, in our society, masculine culture doesn't allow for men to admit that they're crying or even saying they are sad. So therefore, men tend to mask their depression. So to avoid feeling sad, they might reason: 'I might just go out for a drink because I feel stressed. And so I may not even experience sadness because I just keep self-medicating, or I might release it in anger.'"

Q: What are warning signs of paternal postpartum depression?
"Some of the clinical signs are feeling sadness or lack of pleasure in things you usually enjoy, difficulty concentrating and changes in your weight or sleep habits. But more broadly, it'd be experiences of feeling like, 'I can't function as well as I normally could, or I feel like I'm failing at life a lot more than normal, or I can't cope with my stress, and I have to find an escape way.' So whether it's scrolling or whether that's alcohol, thinking, 'I need to escape more than normal or even avoid my own responsibilities as a father because of my distress.' Those are things to watch out for."

Q: What are some risk factors?
"The highest risk in general is around three to six months postpartum. Additionally, dads most at risk may be those who don't have the social support systems in place, and those who are dealing with going back to work too soon. Lack of parental leave is a big risk factor for developing depression, along with feeling lost if you didn't do the prep work to know about your child's development or never held a baby before, things where you feel like a fish out of water."

Q: How can partners learn to recognize warning signs?
"I think that they know their partner best. So, if you start to notice any consistent change in their behavior, or if they seem a little more on edge or more reclusive. Those types of changes, if they last more than a week, then that's a time where you can talk to them. And the partner's role is to talk about it in a way that's supportive. You have to make a safe space for them to admit that they are sad. Or, if they complain about how hard it is to be a dad, that's not at all meaning that they should be able to skirt their responsibilities. Maybe hear them out and say, 'You might be struggling just like moms can struggle, and let's talk it through.' So, trying to make sure to not discourage them from expressing their distress."