14/09/2021
Gold Coast man Gary Keys admits the birth of his first son nearly broke him and he ended up on the floor in a mental crisis.
Jackie Sinnerton
As featured in the Courier Mail - September 14, 2021 - 12:00AM
“The stress and anxiety of wanting to be a good dad weighed on me. I didn’t really have a role model. Back when I was a kid, fathers were just meant to harden up and get on with it,” Mr Keys, who now has three children, told The Courier-Mail.
“I attended antenatal classes, but it was all directed at the mums which is fair enough, but dads need some guidance too. There is a lot of stigma around mental illness in fathers and that can make men scared to ask for help. I asked for the help I so badly needed and am grateful for it,” he said.
For the last few years, the committed dad has been working on a website that offers help to struggling dads. Next weekend on the site ManTnatal he is kicking off workshops for new dads on how to deal with the mental struggles and pressures of fatherhood.
“Having kids is the best thing you could ever do, and men shouldn’t hold back but when they hit bumps it is okay to say I’m struggling and need some help,” he said.
Continued in comments
