Becoming a dad changes men's brains

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-becoming-a-dad-changes-mens-brains/

37•momentmaker•1h ago

Comments

greenflag•1h ago

Becoming a dad simultaneously made me more empathetic (seeing a little person from the beginning for all they are) but also more impatient (fewer hours in the day), but beyond that not much. Given the notoriety about some of the techniques referenced in this article [0] curious if others notice anything more consistent.

0: https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/140/8/e53/4032512

doubled112•58m ago

Empathy, I’m not sure, but I can confirm the lack of patience.

I had less time, less energy, and my tolerance for BS plummeted accordingly.

mrweasel•24m ago

The lack of tolerance towards BS and people being difficult in general has gone out the window for sure. In the morning, sure, you get a lot of slack, but when the kindergarten closes at 16:30 and it's now 15:30, I don't have time for people being difficult. We solve the problem, we have 30 minutes, if you're being difficult I'll ignore you. You can complain tomorrow.

JoeBOFH•40m ago

I can add to the personal experience piece. I am way more emphatic, to the point I apparently now tear up on certain movies/shows. Also yeah way more impatient and honestly more selfish now due to lack of personal time.

hoyd•3m ago

With four kids, I think I have grown more patient with people in general. Also one who got more sentimental.

derwiki•49m ago

Do any of these studies account for new parent sleep deprivation?

spiderfarmer•25m ago

I slept way less and more fragmented when I was a student.

karunamurti•43m ago

No wonder Magnus lost 4 times in a row.

patates•18m ago

Becoming a dad made me a sensitive snowflake crybaby :)

There were a lot of days on which I cried more than the baby. Diagnosed with anxiety disorder, but then they said it comes with ADHD and probably has little to do with the baby.

> As many as one in 10 men will experience paternal postnatal depression or anxiety. The symptoms often look different in dads—anger or sudden outbursts

Oh well.

close04•16m ago

A previous discussion on this topic which doesn't require a subscription to read: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47820046

b3lvedere•7m ago

The first born defenitely changed me somehow. As if some evolution gene was suddenly ordering me "You will protect this with everything in your power!" The second born, not so much. Perhaps the brain was already settled in the right configuration :)

fullstop•5m ago

With the first kid you sterilize everything. After that I guess you learn how much dirt they put in their mouths and don't bother.

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