Offering hope and illumination, the bone-raw story of a father’s failure to bond with his infant twin daughters, and his journey through paternal depression—an often undiagnosed condition that affects millions of new fathers.
“Paternal postpartum depression is a stigmatized and poorly recognized, but highly treatable condition. This brave and insightful book by a new father (who is also a physician) is a beautifully written personal account that offers hope for dads that struggle at this critical time.”
– Donna E Stewart CM, MD, FRCPC, University Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics/Gynecology, University of Toronto
"A rare combination: a book that is both deeply personal and genuinely important. Dr. Choukalas shines a light on post-natal depression in men – a condition hiding in plain sight, suffered mostly in silence by millions of new fathers"
–Robert Wachter, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine, UCSF, and author of the bestseller, A Giant Leap: How AI is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future
Even the Darkest Night
A Father's Journey of Hope and Healing from Paternal Depression
On Sale June 2, 2026
After a traumatic birth nearly claimed his wife’s life, anesthesiologist and intensive care physician Christopher Choukalas should have felt grateful. His twin daughters were healthy, his wife had survived, and they had started a family. But instead of joy, Choukalas found himself spiraling—spending long evenings in the garage, unable to face the chaos and emotional strain inside his home. Caught between caring for his wife, deciphering the needs of his newborns, and confronting painful childhood memories, his world began to unravel…
Resources
Articles about Postpartum Depression
I Gave Birth, but My Husband Developed Postpartum Depression
New York Times piece on a man who developed Post-Partum Depression
Oh Baby: Postpartum Depression in Men is Real, Science Says
One male physician’s story of struggling in fatherhood
First Pill for Postpartum Depression Shows Varied Real-World Results
New York Time piece summarizing a recent trial on a hormonal medication specifically for mothers suffering from PPD