Mental health experts say although postnatal depression in man is not hormonal, it is surprisingly common and brought about by the unique pressures of fatherhood. |
Men are as likely as women to suffer from postnatal depression, a study shows. One in ten fathers - the same ratio as mothers - were found to suffer before or after birth. By the time their child reaches 12 weeks, as many as one in four are feeling down. The symptoms observed in the American study are not thought to be hormonal - as they are in women - and are instead probably a response to the pressures of fatherhood. These include the expense of having children, changed relationships with partners and fear of paternal responsibility. In the early weeks, the lack of sleep and extra domestic chores also take their toll, say mental health experts. The study put the overall rate of depression among new fathers at 10.4 per cent - double the estimated 4.8 per cent for all men in any 12-month period. Around 8 per cent were affected in the 12 weeks before and after birth, according to the Eastern Virginia Medical School research. The team, led by James Paulson, reviewed 43 studies involving 28,000 people. They found parents were more likely to be down if their partner was too. It is estimated around one in ten women suffers postnatal depression, even if they have never had mental health problems. Without treatment the condition can last for months. Although most women have a few days of 'baby blues' shortly after birth, postnatal depression can kick in up to six months later. Dr Paulson said paternal depression was serious because it can have 'substantial emotional, behavioural and developmental effects on children'. The study was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Read by Lee Hannon. Lee Hannon is a journalist at the China Daily Web site.) (Agencies) |
一項(xiàng)研究顯示,男性和女性一樣會得產(chǎn)后抑郁癥。 研究發(fā)現(xiàn),十分之一的男性在孩子出生前后會受到抑郁癥困擾,這一比例與女性相同。 在孩子滿12周時(shí),多達(dá)四分之一的男性會出現(xiàn)情緒低落。 這一美國研究所發(fā)現(xiàn)的男性的這些癥狀并非像女性那樣是由體內(nèi)的荷爾蒙引起的,而可能是因?yàn)槌鯙槿烁杆鶐淼囊恍毫Α?/p> 這些壓力包括養(yǎng)育孩子的費(fèi)用、夫妻之間關(guān)系的變化以及對承擔(dān)父親責(zé)任所產(chǎn)生的恐懼。 心理健康專家說,在最初的幾周內(nèi),睡眠不足以及新增的家務(wù)活也會產(chǎn)生一定的影響。 研究發(fā)現(xiàn),剛做父親的男性患抑郁癥的總體比例為10.4%,為一般群體男性12個(gè)月中患抑郁癥比例的兩倍,后者的比例為4.8%。 根據(jù)這項(xiàng)由東弗吉尼亞醫(yī)學(xué)院開展的研究,約8%的男性在孩子出生前后12周會出現(xiàn)抑郁癥狀。 由詹姆斯?保爾森領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的研究小組對涵蓋2.8萬人的43項(xiàng)研究進(jìn)行了分析。他們發(fā)現(xiàn),如果男女雙方有一方有抑郁癥狀,那么另一方也會受到影響。 據(jù)估計(jì),約十分之一的女性會患產(chǎn)后抑郁癥,即使她們之前沒有心理健康方面的問題。如果不進(jìn)行治療,這種狀況會持續(xù)數(shù)月之久。 盡管大部分女性在產(chǎn)后的幾天可能會出現(xiàn)心情低落的狀況,但真正的產(chǎn)后抑郁癥可能會在六個(gè)月后發(fā)生。 保爾森博士說,男性的產(chǎn)后抑郁應(yīng)引起重視,因?yàn)榘职值那榫w會“對孩子的情緒、行為和發(fā)育會產(chǎn)生重要影響”。 該研究在《美國醫(yī)學(xué)會》雜志上發(fā)表。 相關(guān)閱讀 (中國日報(bào)網(wǎng)英語點(diǎn)津 陳丹妮 編輯蔡姍姍) |
Vocabulary: postnatal: happening after and relating to the birth of a baby 產(chǎn)后的;出生后的 take its/their toll: 產(chǎn)生惡果;造成傷害;產(chǎn)生負(fù)面影響 baby blues: a depressed feeling that some women get after the birth of a baby post-natal depression 產(chǎn)后抑郁 kick in: to begin to take effect 開始生效(或見效) |