Being a parent is hard. And being a new father of an infant is especially hard. It’s stressful. And conflicts with your partner that arise after a few sleepless nights can make things harder. But PPND is different. It’s a clinical condition.
PPND (Paternal Postnatal Depression) is common condition among men after the birth of a child. Up to 1 in 4 new dads have PPND. Depression, anxiety or other problems with mood can occur anytime during the first year of your child’s life.
PPND is a very serious condition. But it’s also a very treatable condition. If left untreated, however, PPND can result in damaging, long-term consequences for yourself, your child, and your family as a whole
Remember seeing your baby for the first time? You were probably filled with pride and excitement. That’s what you always heard it was like having a child – pure joy. Baby bliss.
Then, reality sets in. Sleepless nights. A screaming infant needing nearly constant care. Fights with your partner. Going to work exhausted.
Then, over time, you’ve noticed things have gotten worse. Now, you’ve lost your sense of humor, and there’s not much to look forward to. You’ve started getting more anxious or panicky. You’ve had trouble sleeping. And you’re miserable a lot of the time.
Or perhaps you’ve been irritable. You’re getting more stressed at work and getting angry with your wife. Maybe you’ve noticed you’re drinking more – or withdrawing from people.
These are all signs of men’s depression. You may think you should just “get over it” – and that you must be the only guy who can’t. But you’re not the only one.
Every day, over 1,000 new dads in the United States become depressed. And according to some studies, that number is as high as 2,700. That’s 1 in 10 to as many as 1 in 4 new dads who have postpartum depression. Whatever the exact number, we know that a lot of fathers are suffering from this painful condition.
The truth is, depression, anxiety and other mood disorders are common. In fact, they’re just as common – and just as real – as physical problems, like heart disease and diabetes. They can also be as crippling.
Now, contrary to what you might think, admitting you’re depressed isn’t admitting defeat. It’s admitting there’s hope. And it’s taking charge of your life.