• Contact Us

    2217 Vine St., Suite 206 | Hudson, WI 54016
    Phone: (715) 441-1828
    Email

  • CFTC Online

    My WordPress Blog

    • Home
    • Therapists
      • Cindy Grajkowski
      • Kristy Kahl
      • Barb Suick
      • Brian Burns
      • Kathy Lomen
      • Lori McDaniel
      • Jessica Nadeau
      • Amy Luebke
      • Kelle Arend
      • Leah Hoffman
      • Elizabeth Anez, MSW
      • Stephanie Johnson
    • Services
      • Online Therapy – Telehealth
      • Individual Counseling
      • Child Therapy & Play Therapy
      • Teen & Family Therapy
      • Couples Counseling
      • Coaching & Consulting
      • More…
    • Online Therapy
    • Getting Started
      • FAQs
      • Rates and Insurance
      • Blog
    • Jobs
    • Contact
    • Client Portal

    Yes, New Fathers Suffer from Depression Too!

    February 27, 2021

    Having a baby is an event that typically brings a lot of joy and excitement for couples. However, roughly 60% of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression (PPD), with symptoms being either moderate or severe. Fortunately, PPD is a common health issue with much discussion and content outlining the symptoms and treatment. What’s not commonly […]

    Read More

    Yes, New Fathers Suffer from Depression Too!

    February 27, 2021

    Having a baby is an event that typically brings a lot of joy and excitement for couples. However, roughly 60% of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression (PPD), with symptoms being either moderate or severe. Fortunately, PPD is a common health issue with much discussion and content outlining the symptoms and treatment.

    What’s not commonly discussed is that new fathers can absolutely suffer from depression as well. While this depression is usually caused by stress and lack of sleep, and not hormonal shifts, the fact remains that men can and do suffer from PPD. In fact, according to the JAMA Network, roughly 10% of new fathers suffer from PPD.

    Other research by APA has also shown that a “similar proportion” of new fathers experience some form of depression after childbirth. Since the frequency of depression is fairly similar between new mothers and new fathers, PPD can no longer be viewed as a woman’s issue.

    Because of these recent findings, researchers are now recommending that both new mothers AND new fathers (or expectant mothers and fathers) get regular screenings for signs of depression. This is especially important in new mothers and fathers with a history of mental health issues in their own past, or in their family lineage.

    Causes of Male PPD

    A study out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas published in the Journal of Family Issues found there were a handful of common causes of PPD in new fathers:

    No Education

    Fathers simply didn’t know they could suffer from PPD and so ignored any symptoms they were experiencing, instead of focusing on supporting their partner.

    Gender Expectations

    Many men feel the need to be “manly” and act like a “tough guy” that isn’t bothered by emotions.

    Repressed Feelings

    Men are often reluctant to share their feelings, let alone seek help because of them.

    With these new findings, hopefully, more men will pay attention to how they are feeling and seek help should they feel depression creeping on.

    If you or a loved one are a new father that is suffering from PPD and would like to explore treatment options, please get in touch with me.

     

    SOURCES:

    • https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/postpartum
    • https://happiful.com/new-fathers-suffer-from-post-natal-depression-at-similar-rates-to-mothers/
    • https://psychcentral.com/news/2019/03/09/new-fathers-can-also-fall-prey-to-postpartum-depression/143515.html

    Filed Under: Men's Issues, Parenting

    Normative Male Alexithymia: Let’s Talk About It

    August 31, 2020

    There’s an old joke that goes a little something like this: Two women sit next to one another in the park, chatting. The first woman turns to the other and asks, “Does your husband talk to you?” And the other woman replies, “All the time! He asks me what’s for dinner, he asks me if […]

    Read More

    Normative Male Alexithymia: Let’s Talk About It

    August 31, 2020

    There’s an old joke that goes a little something like this:

    Two women sit next to one another in the park, chatting.

    The first woman turns to the other and asks, “Does your husband talk to you?”

    And the other woman replies, “All the time! He asks me what’s for dinner, he asks me if he has clean socks. Once he asked me how the microwave worked.”

    (cue laughter)

    There is usually a shred of reality and truth in jokes like this one, and I can see how and why this one got started. Traditionally, men have not always been comfortable talking about their emotions.

    Normative Male Alexithymia is a very clinical sounding term that describes when men have tremendous difficulty putting their emotional experience into words. This can often put relationships on the ice because generally women need to talk about emotions to feel a connection, and men often “just can’t go there.”

    Men and Women are Wired Differently

    By now we all know men and women are from very different planets, but there are some striking differences in particular to how we communicate. For instance, did you know women typically use twice as many words as men? While women speak at 250 words per minute, men typically speak at around 125, according to Gary Smalley, author of Making Love Last Forever. That means over the course of the day, women speak about 25,000 words and men 12,000.

    Men and women also have different conversational styles. Women often talk fast and become very animated. And it’s not unlike them to excitedly interrupt their partner, who may be struggling to find the right words to begin with. This can cause many men to shut down because they are already having a hard time expressing how they feel.

    And speaking of feelings, women can think and feel at the same time, but men can do only one at a time. So when a woman wants to “talk” that generally means she is expecting her man to think and feel at the same time, and men’s brains are simply not wired that way.

    Understanding how men and women are different when it comes to communication can go a long way. It can help women empathize with men instead of always feeling frustrated at their lack of interest in opening up. It’s not that they don’t want to feel close with you, they just don’t do it in the same way women do.

    Something else that can help is working with a therapist who can facilitate open communication and ensure both parties feel safe and supported in sharing their thoughts and feelings.

    If you are having difficulty talking with your partner and would like to explore treatment options, please be in touch. I would be more than happy to discuss how I may be able to help.

     

    SOURCES:

    • https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201411/why-is-it-so-hard-some-men-share-their-feelings
    • https://www.apa.org/monitor/dec01/mummies
      https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/emotional-fitness/201008/men-women-emotions-and-communication
    • https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/emotional-fitness/201008/men-women-emotions-and-communication

    Filed Under: Men's Issues



    2217 Vine St., Suite 206
    Hudson WI 54016

    Phone: (715) 441-1828
    Email
    • Facebook

    Contact Us

    Send Questions & Appointment Requests
    By submitting this form via this web portal, you acknowledge and accept the risks of communicating your health information via this unencrypted email and electronic messaging and wish to continue despite those risks. By clicking "Yes, I want to submit this form" you agree to hold Brighter Vision harmless for unauthorized use, disclosure, or access of your protected health information sent via this electronic means.

    Couples & Family Therapy Center, LLC

    Phone: (715) 441-1828
    Email

    • Facebook

    A Website by Brighter Vision | Privacy Policy