Gay stay-at-home dad speaks out about his struggle with postnatal depression

"Yes, apparently dads get it too"

Recent studies show that one in five men become depressed after becoming dads (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A gay stay-at-home dad has spoken out about his struggle with postnatal depression after having a child through surrogacy.

The condition is well-known to affect some new mothers, the fact that these symptoms can be felt by fathers too is rarely discussed - but one dad wants to change that.

Simon Leyshan, 34 from Brisbane, Australia, came out as gay at the age of 27 after meeting his current partner Holt Meyers, 44.

After a number of years being together the couple made the decision to have a child through surrogacy.

Following the birth of daughter Olivia, Simon became a new stay-at-home dad but on top of struggling with regular parenting woes like tiredness and stress, the isolation that came with being the only man at play group or dance class really got to him.

“I went to the doctor and she told me I had severe depression, more specifically post natal depression. Yes, apparently dads get it too!' he wrote in a caption on Instagram.

As part of his recovery progress, Simon was prescribed antidepressants and booked in to see a psychologist where the root of his depression came clear.

“I was honestly a bit embarrassed at thinking this was just a woman's thing and that I could get over it in my own way,” Simon told the Daily Mail.

“After seeing a psychologist she basically drew a map of my life and how much it had changed in such a small amount of time and that it wasn't surprising I had slipped into this.”

Simon isn’t alone in feeling this way either. In 2010, a study from the Medical Research Council involving PND in fathers revealed that one in five men become depressed after becoming dads.

After surveying 85,000 families it discovered that 3 per cent of fathers became depressed in the first year of their child's life, 10 per cent by the time the child is four, 16 per cent by eight, and 21 per cent by 12.