What postpartum depression looks like in men

Psychotherapist WIll Courtenay, PhD, explains what the signs and symptoms of paternal postnatal depression are, and how they differ from the signs of postnatal depression in women
Postpartum Depression in Men - Signs & Symptoms
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What postpartum depression looks like in men

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The signs of postpartum depression in men are not so easy to spot. That's because when we think of somebody who is depressed, we usually picture somebody in our mind who is sad and crying. Depression doesn't always look like depression in men. It can look more like irritability, anger, working constantly or withdrawing from others, or drinking or gambling too much. There is some of the ways men experience and cope with depression differently than women do. We can also see what are seen as classic signs of depression in men. A sad mood, a loss of interest in hobbies or sex, a sense of worthlessness or thoughts of suicide. What's important to keep in mind is that men, often times, hide their depression. That's because cultural myth in our society, that men don't get depressed. What that tells men is that they shouldn't get depressed, so they try to hide it. Looking for anything that is out of the ordinary is important for a man. Men are also more likely to experience somatic problems or physical problems that are result of or reflect an underlying depression. The guy who has constant stomach aches or constant headaches, may be experiencing some depression.

Psychotherapist WIll Courtenay, PhD, explains what the signs and symptoms of paternal postnatal depression are, and how they differ from the signs of postnatal depression in women

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Will Courtenay, PhD

Psychotherapist

Dr. Will Courtenay, “The Men’s Doc,” is an internationally recognized expert in helping boys, men and fathers, and a psychotherapist, consultant, distinguished author, researcher, keynote speaker, radio host, and consultant to and speaker at schools and universities. His new book is titled Dying To Be Men. The American Psychological Association calls him, “a leading psychologist in the field of masculinity” and Who’s Who in America calls him a “foremost achiever in his field.” As one of the world’s leading innovators in the health of boys and men, he has a documented history of success in shaping and promoting this new field, as well as new perspectives on fatherhood, boyhood, and masculinity. Dr. Courtenay received his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley and has served on the clinical faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the University of California, San Francisco, Medical School. He is the Founding Editor of the International Journal of Men's Health. Dr. Courtenay is a powerful, effective voice about boys and men, heard nationally on radio and television – including CNN, Good Morning America, World News, Fox News, ABC News, NBC News – and seen in print – including NY Times, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, NPR, Newsweek, USA Today, and Chicago Tribune. Dr. Courtenay is a contributor to Esquire Magazine.

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