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Similar to intrusive thoughts and experiences psychosis are more common between new parents Much more than previously thought, according to new research.
Experts found that individuals who become new parents often experience high levels of unwanted and distressing thoughts and images, suggesting that men may be more sensitive to these experiences than women.
Conclusion, published in Community Mental Health JournalThe study stems from a study by the University of East Anglia (UEA) that involved 349 parents who had welcomed a baby within the past year.
Participants were recruited to complete an anonymous online survey through various parenting platforms including Mumsnet, NetMums and Dads Matter UK, as well as social media sites such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
The researchers found that 96 percent of people reported experiencing at least one intrusive thought – for example unwanted, disturbing thoughts or images.
About 89 percent reported at least one psychotic-like experience, such as temporary paranoia or paranormal perceptions.
About 31 percent of people surveyed were considered “at risk” of developing psychosis based on the symptoms listed.
Lead researcher Dr Jo Hodgkins, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “The perinatal period is a time of huge change for parents, and previous research has shown that more than one in five mothers experience this mental health Challenges during this time.
“Challenges like lack of sleep, stress and hormonal changes can take a toll on the mental health of new parents.
“Most research to date has focused on depression and anxiety because they are so common.
“But we wanted to look beyond this and explore the wider range of mental health experiences faced by parents.”
The men in the study reported more intrusive thoughts, more parenting stress, and higher levels of depression and anxiety than new mothers.
“Male parents may experience these symptoms due to lack of sleep, increased stress, and psychological adjustment to new responsibilities and identity as a father,” Dr. Hodgkins said.
“But this result may be distorted by the fact that the majority of participants, about 90 percent, were women.
“It would certainly be interesting to focus on recruiting more male participants in future research.”
The study highlighted how experiencing symptoms is strongly linked to decreased parenting confidence, higher stress, and increased depression and anxiety.
Dr Hodgkins said: “We found that psychotic-like experiences and intrusive thoughts are common among new parents.
“For a significant minority, these experiences cause severe distress, which is associated with higher parenting stress and lower perceived competence and satisfaction.
“Our work highlights the need to normalize some of these experiences for new parents, reducing stigma and raising awareness so the conversation about them can open up.
“Intrusive thoughts and psychotic-like experiences do not always mean there is a clinical disorder, but they are common and can seriously impact parenting, so they are worth paying attention to.
“However, we also need to go beyond generalizations to improve mental health and parenting outcomes by providing tailored and targeted support for those who find such experiences distressing.”
Dr Claire Wilson, registrar of psychiatry at King’s College London, said: “Parents’ mental health is vital to building healthy and resilient families.
“Intrusive thoughts and psychotic-like experiences are common and their true frequency among new parents is difficult to ascertain from this study because of the way parents were recruited to participate, allowing their frequency to be overestimated.
“Importantly, many parents found these symptoms distressing and had a negative impact on their perceived abilities as parents.
“This is because distress and impairment in functioning are some of the hallmarks of mental illness, requiring early identification and treatment to reduce the potentially devastating impact it can have on families.
“The study reminds those of us who support all new and prospective parents about the importance of using every opportunity to ask about these experiences.”
In the research paper, the authors said that factors such as lack of sleep, stress and hormonal changes can impact mental health after childbirth.
She said intrusive thoughts usually peak in the first few weeks after birth and may be related to infant safety.
These may include “disturbing thoughts of intentionally or accidentally harming the baby,” she said.
“Many mothers are reluctant to disclose intrusive thoughts due to feelings of shame, although there is no evidence that the presence of intrusive thoughts of infant-related harm is associated with an increased risk of infant harm.”