DADS GET SAD TOO: A PSYCHOLOGIST OPENS UP ABOUT POSTNATAL DEPRESSION

While it has long been known that postnatal depression affects some new mothers, there is much less awareness of the impact of postnatal depression in new fathers. But with about 10% of new fathers meeting diagnostic criteria for postnatal depression, there is an urgent need to understand why some new fathers become depressed. In this talk, Prof Viren Swami draws on his experience of becoming a father and being diagnosed with postnatal depression to better understand why some dads get sad. He looks at the biological and psychosocial factors that lead to postnatal depression in men and discusses what can be done to meet the healthcare needs of new fathers.