Category: Health

Health, Life, Opinion

Postnatal Depression Happens To Men Too

Raidah Shah Idil

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I recently this article on Daily Life, My husband was diagnosed with postnatal depression. I was genuinely surprised, and then realised that this makes perfect sense. The entry of a newborn baby into the lives of couple changes everything. I used to think that only mothers could get overwhelmed from the demands of a newborn, but it only makes sense that a father could be too.

I did some research, and found an article titled Fathers at risk of postnatal depression. Here’s a quote from the article:

…postnatal depression hits fathers and mothers equally in the first 12 months of a newborn’s life.

Young fathers are particularly vulnerable, with those aged under 30 facing a 40 per cent increase in the risk of developing postnatal depression compared with fathers aged over 30.

Again, the emphasis on younger parents having it tough! Hm. Food for thought. I hope that with the passage of time, there’ll be more research and advertising campaigns which highlight that fathers can suffer from postnatal depression. Talking about mental health issues makes it much easier for people to get the support that they need from healthcare providers.

The world has come a long way when it comes to recognizing that mothers do suffer from postnatal depression. The Black Dog Institute describes that one in seven mothers will suffer from postnatal depression (PND). I hope that new fathers will get similar levels of support.

If you know a loved one – male or female – who fits this description, and if you’re in a position to offer genuine advice, please encourage them to seek help.

 

 

 

Beauty myth, Health, Opinion

Perfection Is No Panacea

Raidah Shah Idil

My article on the beauty myth just got published on Lip Mag! You can find it here.

I was inspired to write this article after discussions with my teenage sister. Back when I was seventeen, I remember being worried about my grades, but it seems like the teens of today have far more on their minds. I know, we were all self-conscious teens back then, but I honestly do not remember being overly bothered by the rise of eating disorders, or media pressure to look a certain way i.e. THIN IS IN. Times have changed, and if I didn’t have the emotional resilience of a 29 year old, I would probably be very affected by all these toxic messages about body image.

For what it’s worth, I hope that if you’re reading this, and you have girls in your life whom you love, tell them that they’re already beautiful, as they are. Losing weight isn’t going to make them more worthy of love. That’s all too often a slippery slope into an eating disorder. If you do have a loved one who is suffering from an eating disorder, then seek help. The Butterfly Foundation is a wonderful institute that helps eating disorder suffers and their families.