Analysis: postnatal depression may affect approximately 10% of fathers and a lack of research means this is likely underestimated
By Mary Maguire and Sinéad McGilloway, Maynooth University
It is estimated that approximately one in five mothers in Ireland will experience mental health distress (most commonly depression or anxiety) in the year following the birth of their child, but do fathers also suffer? Becoming a father is an extremely important life event which brings an abundance of new experiences and emotions, both positive and negative.
Although postnatal depression (i.e. depression that typically occurs during the first year after the birth of a child) is seen as almost a universally-female condition, it may also affect approximately 10% of fathers. But due to a lack of research in this emerging area, this figure is generally thought to be underestimated.
However, we know that men who are affected tend to experience more symptoms of irritability and anger when compared to women during the postnatal period, as well as an inability to express emotions, whilst also engaging in escapist behaviours, such as substance abuse, online activity and/or extended periods of time away from the home.
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The risk of a dad developing postnatal depression is up to five times higher if their partner is experiencing mental health difficulties. Fewer than 5% seek help from their doctor or a mental health professional and it is not only first-time fathers who are at risk. Screening tools to identify such depression are almost exclusively used for mothers. Add in the ongoing stigma surrounding male mental health and men's well-documented lack of health help-seeking in general, this suggests that very few fathers who are struggling are being identified.
Some risk factors for postnatal depression are common to both women and men, including a shift in identity, sleep deprivation, changes in levels of social support and adjustments within the parents’ relationship. However, dads also report feeling excluded from the birthing journey, being ignored by healthcare professionals and worrying excessively about their job and financial stability.
There are also increasing expectations on fathers regarding their involvement throughout the period during pregnancy and after birth (and beyond). They may not necessarily be able to access (or 'inherit’) information on childbirth and childrearing from their own parents and family members, as mothers often can.
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For all of these reasons, dads with postnatal depression typically report feeling overwhelmed or powerless, while they often refer to stigma or taboos in relation to their masculinity, all of which pose significant barriers to seeking help or even accepting that they are experiencing such distress. Many men describe the pressure they feel to be "strong" during this time and, therefore, when they experience anxiety or depression, they may feel like a failure, or ashamed, thereby compounding their distress.
Fathers can even develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder if they witness their partner experiencing a difficult or traumatic birth. Furthermore, many fathers acknowledge that their primary role during the pre- and post-birth period is to support the mother and as a result, they often do not seek (or anticipate a need for) support for themselves and may choose instead to disregard their own emotions or anxieties. Not only will this take a toll on the father, but it often means that their relationship with their partner and the wider family may also be affected.
When support is available, fathers are often apprehensive about engaging for fear they may be stigmatised
While recent years have seen an increasing interest in, and recognition of the importance of, pre- and postnatal depression and anxiety in dads, very little research is available on what types of psychosocial (or non-pharmacological) support fathers may specifically need to help support them through this period. Notably, researchers in Australia (a world leader in mental health) have identified a need for accessible, dad-specific, support programmes which incorporate a group fitness or exercise component and which are used and recommended by other dads. When support is available, however, fathers are often apprehensive about engaging for fear they may be stigmatised.
Fathers play a crucial role in supporting both their partner and children during the postnatal period, but a significant proportion may be silently carrying the burden of their own mental distress during this time. It is important, therefore, that a 'two-parent' inclusive approach is adopted by health professionals to facilitate early recognition of symptoms, whilst there is also a need for a greater knowledge and awareness/recognition at a wider societal level to tackle the stigma surrounding postnatal mental health problems in men as part of the growing discourse around male mental health more generally.
Read: How fatherhood changes men's brains
If you feel you or someone you know is experiencing perinatal depression, please do not go through it alone. Support is available and can be arranged with the support of your GP or you can reach out to an accredited psychotherapist to make an appointment. There are also several online support forums that provide information, assistance and encouragement. Some websites include
- HSE Parents Health and Mental Wellbeing
- Parentline
- Postnatal Depression Ireland
- Dad Matters
- Postpartum Support International
Mary Maguire is a PhD candidate in Psychology at Maynooth University Department of Psychology and Centre for Mental Health and Community Research, where she is researching perinatal mental health with the support of a John Hume scholarship. She is also a trainee psychotherapist at DCU. Prof Sinéad McGilloway is Professor of Family and Community Mental Health and Founder Director of the Centre for Mental Health and Community Research at Maynooth University's Department of Psychology and Social Sciences Institute (MUSSI).She is an Irish Research Council awardee.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ. If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, support information is available online and above.
