The birth of a child is generally presented – and this is natural – as a moment of great happiness. If the depression that can follow such a beautiful moment is today generally recognized among women, many fathers could also suffer from this “blues”. Discomfort, severe fatigue, feeling of disconnection, anxiety or persistent sadness, the symptoms are numerous.
Mat Lewis-Carter, a London father, recounts in an article in New Scientist how he fell apart shortly after the birth of his daughter in 2021. He couldn’t bond with her and found excuses to run away from home. “I remember… not wanting to be there anymore,” he admits. Like many men, he does not understand what he is going through, due to a lack of information and social recognition of this condition.
According to recent research, 8.4% of fathers suffer from postpartum depression, compared to 13% of mothers. Even if men do not experience the biological and hormonal upheavals of pregnancy, they share with women other risk factors such as lack of sleep, financial pressure, profound identity transformation and emotional stress. The mental health of both parents is completely linked: if one suffers, the other risks suffering even more.
Despite this, these symptoms have long been minimized, even invisible. Medical devices and prevention campaigns focusing exclusively on mothers, without informing fathers that they too could be affected. As a result, many men internalize this discomfort and only consult late, when the situation worsens.
Progressive recognition
Today, medical research is making up for this gap. More inclusive screening tools are emerging and some health professionals now include dads in their post-birth follow-up. This development makes it possible to identify distress signals such as irritability, emotional withdrawal or avoidance behaviors earlier, which are often different from the classic symptoms observed in mothers.
Specialists also emphasize the collective impact of this recognition. Treating paternal postpartum depression not only improves the father’s well-being, but also the couple’s relationship and the child’s emotional development. Parental mental health thus becomes a family rather than an individual issue.
Better information remains the main challenge. Almost 40% of people are unaware that this disorder can affect men. Raising awareness among future parents during pregnancy and encouraging men to speak out must be the first triggers for this awareness.
The recognition of postpartum depression in fathers marks a cultural as well as a medical turning point. By broadening the outlook on parenthood, society is beginning to admit that becoming a father can also bring its share of sometimes difficult transformations. An evolution in our morals, which reminds us that supporting all parents remains the best way to protect families.
