Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
In this episode, Dr. Becky Kennedy talks with Chris Giukalas, an intensive care physician at UCSF and father of twins, about experiencing paternal postpartum depression. They discuss how his severe anxiety, hypervigilance, and need for control manifested not as traditional sadness, but as extreme irritability, overplanning sleep schedules, and dangerous driving habits. The conversation explores how these adult symptoms were rooted in childhood adaptations to trauma, such as his father's abandonment, and how finding the right therapist helped him process his pain and become a calmer, more present parent.
Dr. Becky introduces the episode, outlines the focus on a non‑traditional form of depression experienced by a new dad.
Dr. Becky presents Chris Giukalas, a physician who will share his experience of depression after his daughters were born.
Chris recounts the medicalized birth, COVID‑related stress, and the overwhelming routine of caring for twins in the first months.
Chris details the specific symptoms—anxiety, panic, irritability, risk‑taking, drug use—and how they manifested in daily life.
Chris describes how his wife’s research led to a diagnosis of postpartum depression in him and his decision to pursue therapy.
Chris explains how he found a therapist who matched his needs, the process of opening up, and the importance of choosing the right therapeutic modality.
Chris reflects on how therapy helped him become calmer, more present, and better able to bond with his daughters and partner.
Dr. Becky offers actionable tips for parents, including therapy resources, self‑care strategies, and fostering a supportive environment.
The Release of Fast Drivingstory
The guest describes taking dangerous, high-speed routes home in a manual car to find a brief release from the overwhelming stress and anticipation of chaos waiting at home.
The Overdeveloped Need to Controlinsight
The guest explains how anxiety and panic fueled an extreme need to control everyday routines like infant sleep schedules in order to manage internal distress.
Discovering Male Postpartum Depressiondata
The guest's wife discovered a symptom checklist for male postpartum depression that included anger, irritability, and risk-taking rather than standard depressive sadness.
Addictive Seconds on the Roadstory
The guest shares how dangerous driving on curvy roads provided a brief physical release from anxiety, turning into an addictive behavior that grew harder to stop.
Unprocessed Childhood Abandonmentinsight
After decades of denial, the guest realized in therapy that his father's abandonment when he was a child deeply impacted him and shaped his adult emotional responses.
A Calmer, Present Fatherhoodstory
The guest shares how therapy allowed him to become calm enough to enjoy family vacations and participate in spontaneous, previously anxiety-provoking events with his daughters.
“I think the shift starts to happen, at least in the marriage, when you kind of realize, wait, we have kind of these different worldviews.”
“And that I could cry in front of this person, that I could be held metaphorically, because again, it's virtual, right?”
What does depression look like? It’s not always… sadness. Dr. Becky talks to Dr. Chris Choukalas about why this form of depression is so easy to miss, what it costs the whole family when it goes unnamed, and what getting help actually looked like for one father who needed it badly.
8,038 words · 2 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
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