Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/803025
COMMUNITY FORUM C R E A T I N G H E A LT H Y H A B I T S S T O P P I N G T H E S T I G M A D A D D O W N I N T H E D U M P S ? Do you have a comment about an article you read in th r ive? We welcome your feedback! Email AskThrive@nym.org and let us know if we can print your name and submission. I REALLY LIKED YOUR ARTICLE ABOUT PICKY EATERS ["FENDING OFF FOOD FIGHTS," PAGE 16, FALL 2016 ISSUE]. AS A CHILD, I FREQUENTLY FOUGHT WITH MY PARENTS ABOUT MY FOOD PREFERENCES, AND MEALTIMES WERE OFTEN STRESSFUL. THIS LED TO AN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD. AS A NEW MOM, I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT HOW TO APPROACH FOOD CHOICES WHEN MY DAUGHTER IS READY FOR SOLID FOODS. YOUR ARTICLE WAS AN EXCELLENT BLUEPRINT AND A GOOD REMINDER TO TALK WITH OUR PEDIATRICIAN ABOUT HOW TO ENSURE THAT MY DAUGHTER HAS A HEALTHY START IN LIFE. MARGARET M. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ARTICLE "POST-STROKE PTSD" IN THE LAST ISSUE OF THRIVE [PAGE 8, WINTER 2017]. AS A STROKE SURVIVOR, THE PHYSICAL RECOVERY WAS ONLY ONE PART OF GETTING WELL. FOR MANY MONTHS FOLLOWING MY STROKE, I STRUGGLED WITH INSOMNIA, FLASHBACKS AND ANXIETY. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT I HAD POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER UNTIL MY DOCTOR MENTIONED IT IN RELATION TO MY SYMPTOMS. I WAS SCARED TO TELL ANYONE, EVEN MY WIFE, THAT I HAD PTSD. IT FELT LIKE I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T SEEM ALL THAT BAD. HOWEVER, MY LIFE HAS DRASTICALLY IMPROVED SINCE JOINING A SUPPORT GROUP FOR STROKE SURVIVORS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS ISSUE. DAN S. THE ARTICLE ON PAGE 26 IN THE LATEST ISSUE OF THRIVE ["PROUD PAPA SYNDROME"] WAS INTERESTING. I HAD NO IDEA THAT BEING A FATHER COULD BE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH. LEARNING THIS WAS ESPECIALLY SURPRISING, AS MY HUSBAND HAS NOT SEEMED HIMSELF SINCE THE BIRTH OF OUR CHILD. HE ISN'T INTERESTED IN ANYTHING LATELY AND SEEMS TO BE IN A BAD MOOD ALL THE TIME. HE HAS TAKEN MEDICATION FOR ANXIETY IN THE PAST, BUT THIS SEEMS DIFFERENT. CAN MEN GET POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION? CHELSEA F. Thanks for writing, Chelsea. Yes, men can get postpartum depression (PPD), also known as paternal postnatal depression. The statistics vary on how often it occurs, but as many as 25 percent of dads can have some symptoms of depression in the months following the birth of a child. Low mood, irritability and feelings of helplessness are common. Male PPD is often associated with anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. If you suspect your husband is dealing with PPD, encourage him to see a doctor. Medication is an option, and support groups or one-on- one therapy may also be helpful. Left untreated, PPD can affect the bond between parent and child, as well as a child's development. —Paul Carroll, Ph.D., Psychologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital P H Y S I C I A N RE F E R R A L / / 718 . 49 9. C A RE 31 R E A D E R L E T T E R S