Many people believe that post-natal depression only affects women because of the hormonal changes a mother experiences after giving birth – that’s not entirely true. First-time fathers and men with a history of mental illness are vulnerable to the illness too.
June is Men’s Health Month and health fundis are advising that men take this time to make their health a priority, including post-natal depression.
A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 10% of men worldwide showed signs of depression from the first trimester of their wife’s pregnancy until six months after the child was born.
Another study, published in Pediatrics in 2014 , found that depression among new dads increased by 68% in the first five years of baby’s life.
“The fact is, one in four new dads in the US become depressed – that’s 3000 dads who become depressed each day,” says Will Courtenay, PhD, also known as “The Men’s Doc”.
Article by: VIWE NDONGENI-NTLEBI
https://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/health/post-natal-depression-can-hit-fathers-as-well-27632759
