Postpartum Depression in Men

Awareness of mental health issues continues to grow, lessening the stigma and making it easier for sufferers to get treatment. Postpartum depression is one of those issues that is better understood today, with new moms and healthcare providers being on the lookout for signs. In a surprising finding, though, a recent Australian study has found that men are suffering from postpartum depression at nearly the same rates as women.

The study, published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, found that 9.4 percent of mothers have postpartum depression, while a whopping 9.7 percent of new dads experience the malady during their baby’s first year.

That means nearly one in 10 of all new parents are at risk, although the study did show that younger fathers are the most vulnerable. In fact, new dads under the age of 30 have a 40 percent higher chance of postpartum depression than their older counterparts.

What is the reason for the spike in male cases of postpartum? Blame it on our modern parenting roles. Dads are taking on more responsibility, which means more stress and more sleep deprivation.

While already overwhelmed new parents may not like to hear there’s yet another issue to watch out for, the study can help to make screenings for new dads a more regular  (and readily accepted) part of the postnatal process. After all, awareness leads to diagnosis, which leads to treatment, and that’s always a good thing. 

Depression Help at The Canyon

As those in the fields of drug and alcohol treatment know, untreated mental health issues can lead to self-medicating and even addiction. If you or someone you love needs help with addiction and a mental health issue like depression, call The Canyon at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about co-occurring disorders treatment, financing or insurance.