They meet deadlines, remember birthdays, answer messages and keep the family machinery moving. They remain useful, pleasant and dependable. From the outside, their life appears not only functional but enviably well managed.

Father’s Day quite rightly invites us to celebrate fathers. But perhaps it can also invite us to check on them. Not casually. Not with the automatic “How are you going?” that is followed immediately by another topic. Actually check. Because many fathers become remarkably skilled at carrying responsibility without drawing much attention to what that responsibility is costing them.

A US based study of 1500 people has found that life in and out of lockdown has affected our brain function...