Sorry Phil - I agree that Depression is a debilitating illness, affecting both male and female persons. Post Natal Depression by it's very name is applicable only to the person that gives birth. The partner may at the same time be suffering from Depression, brought on by any number of causes but it cannot be PND.

That's the problem - just because something was 'called' something it doesn't really determine who can have it.

Postnatal depression isn't fully understood.

Whilst a man doesn't go through pregnancy or birth, woman can be 'diagnosed' with PND for reasons that have nothing to do with the biological side of things.

Just swiped......

The cause of postnatal depression isn't clear, but it can be the result of several things rather than a single cause.

These may include:

The physical and emotional stress of looking after a newborn baby, particularly a lack of sleep.

Hormonal changes that occur shortly after pregnancy; some women may be particularly sensitive to these changes.

Individual social circumstances, such as money worries, poor social support or relationship problems.



So a woman can be diagnosed with PND for any of the above reasons above, many of which are the same for the man.

I guess the sticking point is the term 'PND' rather than the actual illness.

That's why PND in men is often referred to 'Parental Depression' despite being exactly the same....

http://www.nct.org.uk/parenting/post...epression-dads

Also sorry Phil, PND is a term to describe the illness specifically caused by hormonal inbalances caused by giving birth, therefore applicable to the person giving birth. I really do not see the need for scientists or anyone really to Hi-jack the term to apply to men when to say they are suffering from depression would be adequate

It's not a case of hi-jacking anything.

More a case of greater understanding of the illness and the unfortunate name that was given to it.

If doctors were able to pin point PND as something biological and unique to women (which they can't) then I would agree that men can't have PND.

I guess What I'm trying to say is that the 'term' excludes men however women are still diagnosed as having PND for reasons that also affect men.

On the flip side - many women may be diagnosed with PND when it is actually depression or 'Parental Depression'

I also seem to recall reading that some blokes suffer from the menopause too?

If the article in question didn't mean P_ND but just Depression - why do they call it that?

I wonder how many men have been diagnosed as suffering labour pains or from symptoms of the menopause?

Perhaps for blokes (who don't have to carry the child for 9 months, go through labour, breast feed etc.) it should be called something like post marital depression. Brought on by the curtailment of their 'single man' activities when roped in to help out with a new baby.

I can quite understand the worry that having to provide for a child might bring (if the wife had to give up a well paid job) - but surely only if the child wasn't planned?

Anyway that's my last contribution to this thread. I've said a close male member of my family has suffered with depression for years (but not POST NATAL depresson)

I already posted the link to it...

http://www.nct.org.uk/parenting/post...epression-dads

For men it's becoming known as 'Parental Depression' because by literal definition men (with exactly the same illness and for the same reasons) can't have 'postnatal depression'.

Depression is the illness. Post Natal is the period of time when people often suffer.

What men can't have is depression brought about by pregnancy and birth which is only one of many reasons why women may be diagnosed with PND.

Thank you...........you have finally admitted that men cannot suffer from true PND, which is what this was about in the first place!

Depression is a terrible thing, whoever suffers from it, and nobody would argue with that. Also, nobody would argue that men can equally suffer from depression for many different reasons.

However, they CANNOT claim to have PND which is a female condition. As Tang said, it is a little like the men who now claim to suffer labour pains and the menopause. Both of which are a physical impossibility for the male of the species.

The reason that I put the thread up was because I was incensed by a man whose wife had struggled dreadfully with her PND, and all he could talk about was the fact that he had it too. PND has been around for hundreds of years (and so has the menopause!) but it is only very recently that men have decided that they suffer from it too.

I love you all really you men.

I too love all men and will come back to say so. All except the three I married!

As for men with LABOUR PAINS. I'm no gynae but - I would have thought a WOMB was a bit of an essential for you to be able to get those as it is the womb contracting that causes the pain.

Sorry Tang, my "all men" was a little sweeping really

Gordon and Phil are the only ones on here I think at present, and they are both nice - or Phil will be when he stops claiming that men can have women only conditions.

Wonder if any women complain of suffering from prostate problems?