How Fathers can cope with emotional challenges

Fathers’ tears cannot be seen, his fears cannot be felt, even he does not express his love but his protection and care work as a strong base throughout our lives.

Issues related to mental well-being are getting more significant in the discussion than ever before. When we talk about postpartum depression, sleep deprivation, and financial worries, we only show concern with the mothers not fathers although it is equally important for both mother and father.

Research in 2021 has proved that 1 out 10 new dads struggle with anxiety and postpartum depression that further affects a child’s well-being. Let’s have a look at some of the common reasons behind the father’s emotional challenges that turn into depression.

Reasons for depression in new dads:

• Changes that happened in the relationship with the partner.
• Sleep deprivation
• The stress of financial responsibility
• The guilt of not meeting expectations
• Less emotional and social support
• Hormonal disturbance. The current study represents one of the most extensive investigations to date of prenatal hormones in expectant couples.
• Depression in family history.

Symptoms of depression:
Symptoms of depression in men are different from mothers as men are less expressive but some common signs can be seen in men too like less appetite, fatigue, etc.

Common symptoms about which parents should become concerned are as follows:

• Lack of motivation
• Lack of focus in work
• Giving up from relationships
• Angry and outrage behavior
• Feeling hard to cope
• Changed sleep patterns
• Feeling isolated
• Headache
• Instead of asking for help from a doctor seeking relaxation in alcohol and drugs

Like women, men can also go through stress and depression. They also have feelings. They too experience emotional challenges after the birth of a baby. Responsibilities, change in the lifestyle with lack of social and emotional support increase the emotional challenges of men also.

How to cope with all these emotional challenges:

Ignoring these experiences these emotions will make the situation worst. A timely decision is better than self-help. If you think you or your partner are going through postpartum or paternal prenatal depression, then you must seek professional help.

Using therapies like talking with a psychotherapist or couple talk, or medication could help parents in coping with this situation.

If family members or friends observe the same condition in a father, they support him by giving tips such as:

• Encouraging him to bath baby.
• Encourage him to spend time with family.
• Encourage him to take the baby for regular visits to the doctor.

Effects of not getting proper treatment:

A Baby’s mental health is dependent on parents’ mental health. If one of the parents or both are experiencing unusual changes in their behavior, and they don’t feel mentally comfortable then they will leave a bad impact on the baby’s health too. For example:

• They will pay less attention to the baby’s timely checkups and his health.
• There will be greater chances that a child will have behavioral issues in pre-school age.
• There will be chances that a child will suffer from mental or physical health issues.

When prenatal and postpartum depression is taken by parents seriously then coping with all these issues becomes easy.