When Depression Doesn't Look Like Depression | Dr. Becky and Dr. Chris Choukalas

What does depression look like? It's not always sadness. It can be anger. Irritability. Picking fights. Checking out. Taking risks that don't make sense. It can look, to everyone around you (including you), like a character problem, not a medical condition. Dr. Becky sits down with ICU physician Christopher Choukalas, who developed every symptom on the paternal postpartum depression list six months after his twin daughters were born, and had no idea what was happening to him. They also cover 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. Chapters 0:00 – Intro: the postpartum depression checklist 2:19 – Six months in: chaos, twins, and a traumatic birth 14:54 – Going through the symptom checklist 28:32 – Finding the right therapist 39:48 – Therapy vs. medical help: why the type matters Want more support navigating the moments that test you as a parent? Good Inside gives you the tools and community for that: https://www.goodinside.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=traffic_evergreen&utm_content=description_20260717 Christopher G. Choukalas, MD, MS is the author of Even the Darkest Night: A Father's Journey of Hope and Healing from Paternal Depression: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/780237/even-the-darkest-night-by-christopher-g-choukalas-md/ Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible: SmartyPants: Shop SmartyPants Vitamins at Target, Walmart, or Amazon today LMNT: Get a free gift with your purchase at drinkLMNT.com/goodinside Girl Scouts: If you have a daughter in kindergarten through 12th grade, visit girlscouts.org to learn more Little Spoon: Get 50% off your first order at littlespoon.com/rattled with code RATTLED #goodinside #drbecky #postpartumdepression #paternaldepression #newdadlife #mentalhealth #parenting

Christopher ChoukalasguestDr. Beckyhost

Aug 4, 202641mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: August 4, 2026
Duration: 41m
Channel: Good Inside with Dr. Becky
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

What does depression look like? It's not always sadness. It can be anger. Irritability. Picking fights. Checking out. Taking risks that don't make sense. It can look, to everyone around you (including you), like a character problem, not a medical condition. Dr. Becky sits down with ICU physician Christopher Choukalas, who developed every symptom on the paternal postpartum depression list six months after his twin daughters were born, and had no idea what was happening to him. They also cover 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. Chapters 0:00 – Intro: the postpartum depression checklist 2:19 – Six months in: chaos, twins, and a traumatic birth 14:54 – Going through the symptom checklist 28:32 – Finding the right therapist 39:48 – Therapy vs. medical help: why the type matters Want more support navigating the moments that test you as a parent? Good Inside gives you the tools and community for that: https://www.goodinside.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=traffic_evergreen&utm_content=description_20260717 Christopher G. Choukalas, MD, MS is the author of Even the Darkest Night: A Father's Journey of Hope and Healing from Paternal Depression: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/780237/even-the-darkest-night-by-christopher-g-choukalas-md/ Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible: SmartyPants: Shop SmartyPants Vitamins at Target, Walmart, or Amazon today LMNT: Get a free gift with your purchase at drinkLMNT.com/goodinside Girl Scouts: If you have a daughter in kindergarten through 12th grade, visit girlscouts.org to learn more Little Spoon: Get 50% off your first order at littlespoon.com/rattled with code RATTLED #goodinside #drbecky #postpartumdepression #paternaldepression #newdadlife #mentalhealth #parenting

SPEAKERS

Christopher Choukalas
guest
Intensive care physician (ICU doctor) who discusses paternal postpartum depression/anxiety and his clinical/psychology background.
Dr. Becky
host
Clinical psychologist and host of the Good Inside podcast, interviewing the guest about mental health and parenting.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Good Inside with Dr. Becky, featuring Christopher Choukalas and Dr. Becky, When Depression Doesn't Look Like Depression | Dr. Becky and Dr. Chris Choukalas explores a father’s postpartum depression, misread as anger and control Chris describes a traumatic context—COVID ICU work, wildfires, and his wife’s near-fatal birth complication—that set the stage for chronic threat-mode functioning after his twins were born.

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