Male Postpartum Depression

June 20,2014

Postpartum Depression in women is commonly talked about, while on the other hand Postpartum Depression for men is swept under the rug and not commonly talked about.  Lehmiller cites Paulson and Bazemore in their 2010 study showing that 10% of new dads “experience depression during either the prenatal or postpartum periods”. Even though this number is low, bringing it to the forefront of people’s minds, could open the door for men struggling with male PPD, to come out and talk about it. Since this is the only time it was talked about in the book I thought it needed to be discussed more. Researching  the “ins and outs” out male PPD might help answer some questions about the subject. That is why I choose to  research the topic. Some of the questions I wanted answers to were, what is the effect of PPD on men.

In an article by, Sarah J. Breese McCoy at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she describes in depth about the consequences of ignoring male PPD and making the diagnosis. She discusses how differently men deal with this type of depression than women. For example, some men show “hostility, conflict, and anger, rather than the more broadly recognized sadness or apathy. In addition, men may self-medicate for their depression by drinking alcohol, and they may withdraw or engage in escape activities such as overwork, sports, sex, or gambling” (McCoy, 2010). Making the correct diagnosis is crucial in the health of the individual. In Edinburgh, they use a self- administered test, to determine male depression, and if the score is anywhere between 13-26 there could be a sign of depression and if the score is 26-39 then there is depression and the person needs to seek help. Attached are an example of one of the tests that is administered and two videos explaining more about male PPD. I hope this in informative information that will be shared.

For the test with link underneath Scroll down to page 173, 10. Appendix 4

http://mata.50.ylos.com/resource/Perinatal_Depression.pdf#page=173

References:

http://www.kwikmed.org/25-depression-information-sites-awarded-stars-support-encouragement/

http://www.postpartummen.com