4 Signs Of Postpartum Depression In Men
Postpartum depression in men is more common than it sounds. The World Health Organization warns that at least 10% of parents suffer from this problem after the delivery of their partner. In the case of women, the condition can reach up to 10-15%, according to WHO data.
The changes that pregnancy generates do not end with the arrival of the baby. This process exerts enormous pressure on the couple and therefore, both partners can be affected by stress and the alteration of their habits. Men carry a heavy load even if it doesn’t seem like it.
Arguably the heaviest part is having to pretend that everything is okay. It is difficult to conceive that a man is going to accept that this situation has overcome him, or much worse that he is going to start crying in the middle of the job. On the contrary, women have the advantage of being free and letting our feelings out without fear.
In this sense, speaking of emotions, this is the area in which this type of suffering is focused. We get too excited about the pregnancy and the birth of the little one. This is not bad, it is acceptable and understandable, but we do not know how it is going to attack us.
When men experience postpartum depression, they may reflect it in a very different way than women. Here we show you what the main signals are.
How do we recognize postpartum depression in men?
The signs of depression in men are almost never associated with the typical picture of sadness. Men get depressed in a different way than women. The mood of the depressed man is generally not depressed, quite the opposite. It is brought out through irritability and aggressiveness.
The origin of this type of depression is the same in women as in men. However, the sadness and grief they feel are expressed differently. Experts explain that parenthood means the realization of a physical and mental effort that generates remarkable psychological effects. What they generally experience is emotional congestion. The signs can be the following.
Anxiety
Anxiety is common in pregnancy and postpartum, it represents a clear sign that we are emotionally upset. Many of the changes that have been taking place promise to be permanent, that is, we are far from getting back to normal. In addition, specialists express that what men are most concerned about is not being able to meet the needs of the baby.
Parents are very stressed by the evolution of the child, that he is well and never ill. They are also anxious about the possibility of ending up being displaced by their son.
Drastic mood swings
If our child’s father is moody by nature, he may become much worse at this stage. As we have said, postpartum depression in men manifests itself through disconcerting behavior. If we notice that his mood changes drastically, it is most likely that he is becoming defensive. Perhaps with his bad temper he drives away the fears that overwhelm him, at the same time that he tries to avoid questions and harassment.
Aggressiveness
In the same way as mood swings, aggressiveness can act as a shield in these cases. However, he is not pretending. He really becomes aggressive because he has been affected on a psychological level and this is the way his mind is modifying his behavior.
At the same time, the threat of being displaced and jealousy cause them to become aggressive over something they assume will happen sooner or later. In the first days of life the baby demands a lot of attention, it becomes a priority for the mother. Therefore, his aggressiveness in a certain way will be justified.
Demotivation and apathy
The aforementioned symptoms occur because the man is responding to the changes that have occurred in his life. However, not knowing how to help your partner can lead to apathy. They do not know very well some details of the female organism, for this reason their presence is something useless.
Other women, such as friends or relatives, are in charge of helping the woman in labor, so the man is left behind. As a consequence, he consciously withdraws, which eventually demotivates him to act.
These signals can be clearly perceptible, but if we do not know what causes them we can fail in our interpretation. Although it is known how difficult it is to deal with someone who is aggressive and in a bad mood, it is up to us to help them overcome this situation. Patience, understanding, and love go hand in hand with solving most of these problems. Also for postpartum depression in men.
