Giving mugs that say "World's Best Dad" is a nice and adorable gesture for Father's Day 2025, which is observed every year on June 15. However, perhaps the best thing you can do is pay attention to their emotional health and ask them a straightforward, "Are you okay?" Parents are often idealized as 'superheroes,' with the expectation that they will handle duties and address issues cheerfully. However, they are also people in the end. Fathers carry the brunt of patriarchal expectations, and societal conditioning dissuades them from openly expressing their emotions. As a result, they keep them bottled up until the stress affects their mental health. For this reason, sincere discussions with fathers are essential not just on Father's Day, but every day.

Fathers may be quietly suffering behind the courageous front they display every day. On Father's Day, motivate them to feel their best as well as be the best.

With an Lifestyle Magazine, Rima Bhandekar, a senior psychologist at Mpower, which is affiliated with the Aditya Birla Education Trust, shared a helpful manual that discusses the primary causes of fathers' poor mental health, important coping mechanisms, and how to build a support network.

Reasons for bad mental health

1. Quick change

• Early fatherhood brings not just overwhelming joy but also rapid changes, new routines centered around the baby's needs, increased financial worries, and heightened family expectations, often before there is any opportunity for mental adjustment.
• In any case, the father is usually the first person to face any changes in life, whether it be relocating to a new city for the family's benefit or remaining steadfast during emotional and financial upheaval.

2. Pressure to remain a candid supporter

• The intense cultural pressure to "stay strong" or "man up" when facing responsibilities can result in individuals silently enduring their stress, sorrow, and fear, or bearing the risk of being perceived as weak or inadequate.

3. Inadequate visible assistance

• Mothers are often the focus of discussions in clinics, books, or talks.
• Fathers may even be reluctant to express their feelings if there is no discussion about their mental health.

4. Unresolved past and absence of peer support

• Many fathers, particularly younger ones, may experience loneliness in their parenting experience without a supportive peer group going through the same life stage.
• This is why it's good to have a network; they promote emotional check-ins and lighten the mood with relatable discussions.
• For some fathers, dealing with parenting responsibilities may bring up old wounds from an unresolved past.

Helpful coping mechanisms

1. Hold a heart-to-heart conversation

You may discuss your deepest concerns without fear of judgment with a therapist, a mental health helpline, a dependable senior, or a close friend.

2. Creating a simple, daily routine

Routines may instill a feeling of comfort—start with simple daily activities like taking a page, going for a quick mindfulness exercise, or strolling about the area.

3. Embrace the learning curve

At the beginning, no one has all the solutions. Allow time to watch and improve at parenting without being hard on oneself.

4. No comparisons

No two parenting experiences are the same. It's neither just nor beneficial to compare yourself to families on social media or to give excessive weight to external opinions.

Proposed support system and introducing reforms for open dialogue

1. Mental health facilities that are comprehensive

• Healthcare environments might offer father-focused support, such as looking for symptoms of anxiety and melancholy in young fathers.
• All medical and allied health professionals can be educated to meaningfully engage fathers about the emotional demands of young fathers.

2. Parenting programs Directed at Fathers

• Support groups and workshops that are specifically aimed at fathers, particularly younger ones, can foster candid and sincere discussions.
• Peer groups based in the community can help young fathers feel a sense of belonging that is frequently lacking by allowing them to meet, converse, and exchange good parenting experiences.

3. Parental policies in the workplace

• Paid paternity leave, mental health days, and flexible work can help young fathers stay mentally healthy and productive both at home and at work.

4. Open the talks

• Genuine conversations, particularly in public health campaigns, mass media, and institutes, can demonstrate to young fathers that asking for assistance is a sign of strength, aid in lowering shame, and make room for emotion.

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