‘Postnatal depression doesn’t only affect mums’
Viren Swami struggled after his son was born and wants all new dads to have a mental health check. …
A university lecturer who suffered severe postnatal depression is calling for all new dads to be screened for history of mental illnesses.
Prof Viren Swami, based at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, was diagnosed after struggling following the birth of his son two years ago.
“At one point it probably dawned on me that I was probably suicidal,” the social psychology lecturer said. “I didn’t want to exist any more.”
A spokesman for NHS England said: “Partners of women accessing specialist perinatal mental health care will be offered a mental health assessment and signposted to appropriate support as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.”
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