Post Natal Depression

Our first Ep deal with a subject that will be the focus for many of our shows.Mental health and specifically Post Natal Depression or PND. The birth of your new little person is supposed to be lifechanging and joyous. It is always lifechanging but not always joyous. Post Natal Depression is commonly thought of as a disorder affecting only women but recent studies show very clearly that men are very susceptible to the anxiety and depression that results from the change and pressure of welcoming a new addition to the family. In this episode Alex talks to Israel Smith - a lovely Aussie dad who has suffered from PND and found a way to overcome it. We hear about his journey and how he found the strength and the resources to manage the anxiety and depression he was faced with. Since overcoming his depression Israel and his wife have started The Root Cause an amazing initiative empowering children to make healthy food choices. We also talk to Clinical Psychologist and lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland James Brown and we hear how common it is for Dads to be afflicted with PND. James offers practical solutions and resources to Alex and to fathers who think they may be dealing with PND. Below are the links to what Israel and James talk about in the show, as well as other information on the topic of PND and resources that we think are useful for fathers who are trying to do their best in Being Dad. Symptoms of PND · Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep and/or waking at unusual times · Feeling low, lethargic or hopeless · Feeling sleepy/exhausted all the time – even if he is sleeping well · Loss of interest in usual hobbies, social circles or the outside world in general · Lack of appetite or increased comfort eating · Being unusually irritable and or/hostile. · Verbalising a sense of inadequacy or inability to cope · Regular complaints about headaches, stomach pains and muscle aches and cramps · Being close to tears or crying regularly · Expressing obsessive and irrational thoughts · An inability to concentrate or make decisions · Having obsessive thoughts about the baby’s health · Loss of interest in sex · Increased risk-taking and overconsumption of alcohol and drugs · Spending more time at work · Thoughts about death or suicide Recent research from Sweden found a whopping 27 per cent of the 447 new fathers studies had symptoms above mild levels of depression. The one thing more concerning? Fewer than one in five of them sought help. Links and Resources Lifeline Australia Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention. Call For Immediate Support. Empowering Australians to be Suicide-Free Through Connection... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.