Blog- What is Paternal perinatal depression?

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Paternal perinatal depression (PPND) is a term that might sound a little overwhelming at first, but breaking it down makes it much clearer.

Simply put, it’s a type of depression experienced by fathers, either before or after the birth of their child.

For new dads, fatherhood can be a joyful but challenging time. While it’s more common than many realize, PPND can be tough to recognize because it’s often overshadowed by the focus on mothers' mental health, like post-partum depression.

This article aims to highlight PPND, its symptoms, and why seeking help early is so important for new fathers and dads dealing with depression.

Breaking down the term “paternal perinatal depression”

Just for the sake of clarity, we like breaking science terms down as simply as we can.

Paternal: This simply means of, or relating to a father, or fatherly.

Perinatal: Well, peri- as a prefix means around. Natal is the place or time of one’s birth. Perinatal is then around the time of birth, between the time a woman becomes pregnant until roughly 1 year.

Depression: Depression is a time when someone feels sadness and dejection. Sometimes we classify it into a period or “depressive episode,” which thankfully means there’s a start and end date. Unfortunately, we’re probably all at least a little familiar with this, whether as a first-time parent or not.

So… paternal perinatal depression is a depressive episode a father (or father-to-be) feels from conception up until a year after his child is born.

Phew! Terms like that should be much better understood. Hope that cleared it up for you. (For the sake of your eyes, we may refer to paternal perinatal depression as PPND in this article).

“Pre-” and “post-” natal depression

As we mentioned, perinatal means around birth, including both before and after the baby arrives. Now you’ve got an understanding of what PPND means, we’ll let you know that there are even two kinds of it:

• Male prenatal depression: A father’s depression before the baby is born, which can affect first-time dads and even experienced fathers.

• Male postnatal depression: A father’s depression after your baby is born (sometimes called postpartum in some countries). Male postpartum depression and postnatal depression are usually used interchangeably.

We won’t go into too much depth on pre vs post-natal depression (who thought it was a good idea to have all these terms starting with the letter P?!). But these two types can be equally difficult to manage, especially for dads experiencing depression for the first time in their lives.

We’re more interested in perinatal depression in new dads and depression during fatherhood. Splitting pre- and post- is basically like knowing a hurricane is coming but being overly interested in the weather before and after the storm arrives…

What are the symptoms of paternal perinatal depression?

PPND is a bleak depression that happens to expectant and recent fathers. As an expectant father, your brain is already going through life-changing disruptions. PPND can form in an expectant father’s mind like a jet-black stormcloud over a fertile field used for farming.

Hopefully, this rain won’t last too long… but recognizing symptoms early is crucial for any dad’s mental health, especially if you’re a first-time parent dealing with depression for the first time.

It’s classified as a “major depressive episode,” meaning there’s a beginning and end to it. That might provide comfort for an expectant father suffering from a heavy episode of PPND. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, mate!

Depression during fatherhood is more common than most people realize, and PPND is actually one of the most common medical complications faced by fathers between pregnancy and the first 12 months after delivery.

Epidemiological studies suggest around 1 in 10 fathers are vulnerable to suffer from it. The most likely time for it to strike is 3 - 6 months postpartum (as in, after birth). Other (scarce) research has hinted at an overall prevalence rate of up to 25% for first-time fathers.

Some of the most common symptoms for PPND include:

• Irritability and anger: Suffering with PPND means you’re more likely to get angry at smaller things. As your partner goes through each trimester stage, they need you to be more resilient and patient than ever. This can be especially tough on a first-time mom or dad dealing with depression.

• Feeling overwhelmed: Leading on from anger and irritability, a sense of being overwhelmed is found in PPND. It can be hard to process new depression for expectant fathers, especially as there’s not enough research on PPND. Hopelessness and a feeling of resignation can paint you into a dark corner. It takes a lot to overcome this, especially as a first-time parent facing unknown challenges.

• Disrupted sleep patterns: Fatigue has always been a part of every kind of depression, but PPND comes with some big risks to your usual sleep routine. Sleepless nights have dire consequences for a father, and that’s before your baby even arrives.

• Increased use of alcohol or other drugs: An all-too-frequent coping mechanism for tackling depression is turning to temporary and unnatural euphoria through booze and drugs. Self-medicating is like playing with fire. Be extremely careful not to enter the vicious cycle of depression/drugs…

Will Paternal Perinatal Depression ever go away?

Well, this is quite literally what we hope for here at Dad Psych.

In the real world, psychologists and psychiatrists generally spend their waking hours working on the mental health and well-being of their patients, including fathers struggling with PPND or post-partum depression.

These experts live by sacred principles of honesty and integrity and want to make the world a better place, where all of us live with the healthiest mind possible—especially new fathers.

If you’re dealing with ‘dad depression’ or parental mental health issues, seeking help early can truly make a difference.

As our understanding of mental health conditions evolves, so do the techniques used to treat them. Getting help for PPND requires in-depth medical understanding from your GP, and if you’re struggling as a first-time dad, you’re not alone.

For many people who suffer, simply recognizing the fact that their depression is real and legitimate provides the first step on their journey to getting better. It might even help contextualize your depression.

Final words

Paternal perinatal depression is a real thing, and like most forms of depression, spotting it early simply puts you in a better position to combat it.

Psychology teaches us that mental health, especially for new fathers, is as important as it is for mothers.

If you liked what you read in this article but found it a bit too long, our weekly bite-sized newsletter condenses the science into smaller, tastier chunks for expectant fathers.

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