Fathers in the crisis: Mental health urgently come into view!

Fathers in the crisis: Mental health urgently come into view!

On today's Father's Day, the Austrian Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (ÖGPP) addresses the often underestimated mental health of fathers. In the Perinatal period, pregnancy and the first year after birth, numerous studies show that fathers have an increased risk of mental illnesses. Up to 10 % of fathers develop depressive symptoms in this sensitive phase, whereby the risk of anxiety disorders and suicidal thoughts is also significantly increased. The ÖGPP demands that this problem be increasingly in the focus of society and fathers to specifically integrate in prevention and care offers in order to create a culture in which men can talk about mental stress.

The risk factors for depressive diseases and suicidality in fathers are diverse. These include psychiatric previous illnesses, partnership -based tensions, financial burdens and professional uncertainties. The changing father role in diversified family structures is particularly challenging. These changes, coupled with the high hurdle that men often have to overcome mental problems when naming, mean that many fathers suffer from their mental health without looking for help. Studies also show that undetected psychosocial suffering significantly increases the risk of suicide in fathers, especially in the early phase of the father role.

postpartum depression in fathers

The problem of postpartum depression (PPD) affects not only mothers, but also fathers. It is estimated that around five percent of the fathers of PPD are affected. An example is Jan, a 33-year-old father who suffered from emotional stress after the birth of his son, including sleep deprivation and stress. While his partner is ill from the puerperium depression, Jan is also diagnosed with PPD, which shows how closely the mental health of both partners is linked. This confirms the research that the risk of illness for fathers is increasing, even if the partner is affected, whereby 24 to 50 % of fathers with depressed partners also develop to PPD.

The course of the PPD can occur months after birth and often expresses itself in excessive demands and a distance to the child. In her investigations, Prof. Sarah Kittel-Schneider from the University Hospital Würzburg found that testosterone levels in fathers drop by 30 percent after birth. This decline can cause a closer binding to the family, but at the same time represents a risk of developing depression. Although there are only a few specific offers for affected fathers, psychiatric specialist and university clinics try to expand their programs.

social stigmatization and the influence on children

The social stigmatization and the associated shame, which often prevents men from looking for help, reinforce the problem. Jan, who has had this experience, encourages other fathers to speak openly about their challenges and to take advantage of support. It is important to emphasize that untreated PPD can have negative effects on the development of children, including emotional attachment disorders, which underlines the need for effective support and education about fatherly psychological stress.

Science shows that children of affected fathers have a higher risk of social and emotional changes, including behavioral problems and school problems. The subjective experience of overwhelming has a significant influence on the emotional development of the next generation. Trained specialist staff must therefore be able to ask about the condition of fathers and to include them in the treatment process.

Further information on the mental health of fathers can be found on the websites of ots.at , zdfheute.de and postpartale-depression.ch