Why Do Men Suffer from Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression has come into light recently as celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Hayden Panettiere have talked openly about their experiences after birth. But new moms aren’t the only ones who are suffering from postpartum depression. Research, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that some new fathers are struggling too.

Earlier this week, Paste ran a story about a new drug that is helping dads deal with the effects of postpartum depression, but a closer look at a new study provides an explanation as to how the condition affects men in particular.

The study found that postpartum depression affected fathers in a different way. Instead of the sadness often associated with a mother’s postpartum depression, men were more likely to have feelings of anger and isolation, often leading to poor health. While only 2.3% of men showed depression symptoms during their partners’ third trimester, around 4.3% of men felt elevated depression symptoms by the time their babies were nice months old.

Unlike postpartum depression for women, a new father’s depression doesn’t stem from hormonal or biological changes. Instead, depression can from lack of sleep, changes in relationship dynamic and overall stress.