Postnatal depression for dads
SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA
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SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Also visit the online treatment locator.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.
The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.
English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.
In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.
The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs.
In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.
The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.
No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.
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Suggested Resources
What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families
Created for family members of people with alcohol abuse or drug abuse problems.
Answers questions about substance abuse, its symptoms, different types of treatment, and recovery. Addresses concerns of children of parents with substance use/abuse problems.It's Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)
Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, "It's not your fault!" and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department
Aids family members in coping with the aftermath of a relative's suicide attempt. Describes the emergency department treatment process, lists questions to ask about follow-up treatment, and describes how to reduce risk and ensure safety at home.Family Therapy Can Help: For People in Recovery From Mental Illness or Addiction
Explores the role of family therapy in recovery from mental illness or substance abuse.
Explains how family therapy sessions are run and who conducts them, describes a typical session, and provides information on its effectiveness in recovery.For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.
Last Updated
Last Updated: 08/30/2022
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
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Misusing alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can have both immediate and long-term health effects.The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. NSDUH estimates allow researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the general public to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health. These reports and detailed tables present estimates from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
Alcohol
Data:
- Among the 133.1 million current alcohol users aged 12 or older in 2021, 60.0 million people (or 45.1%) were past month binge drinkers. The percentage of people who were past month binge drinkers was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (29.2% or 9.8 million people), followed by adults aged 26 or older (22.4% or 49.3 million people), then by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (3.8% or 995,000 people). (2021 NSDUH)
- Among people aged 12 to 20 in 2021, 15.1% (or 5.9 million people) were past month alcohol users. Estimates of binge alcohol use and heavy alcohol use in the past month among underage people were 8.3% (or 3.2 million people) and 1.6% (or 613,000 people), respectively. (2021 NSDUH)
- In 2020, 50.0% of people aged 12 or older (or 138.5 million people) used alcohol in the past month (i.e., current alcohol users) (2020 NSDUH)
- Among the 138.5 million people who were current alcohol users, 61.6 million people (or 44.
4%) were classified as binge drinkers and 17.7 million people (28.8% of current binge drinkers and 12.8% of current alcohol users) were classified as heavy drinkers (2020 NSDUH) - The percentage of people who were past month binge alcohol users was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (31.4%) compared with 22.9% of adults aged 26 or older and 4.1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (2020 NSDUH)
- Excessive alcohol use can increase a person’s risk of stroke, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, cancer, and other serious health conditions
- Excessive alcohol use can also lead to risk-taking behavior, including driving while impaired. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver daily
Programs/Initiatives:
- STOP Underage Drinking interagency portal - Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking
- Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking
- Talk.
They Hear You. - Underage Drinking: Myths vs. Facts
- Talking with your College-Bound Young Adult About Alcohol
Relevant links:
- National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
- Department of Transportation Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance
- Alcohol Policy Information Systems Database (APIS)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Tobacco
Data:
- In 2020, 20.7% of people aged 12 or older (or 57.3 million people) used nicotine products (i.e., used tobacco products or vaped nicotine) in the past month (2020 NSDUH)
- Among past month users of nicotine products, nearly two thirds of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (63.1%) vaped nicotine but did not use tobacco products. In contrast, 88.9% of past month nicotine product users aged 26 or older used only tobacco products (2020 NSDUH)
- Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death, often leading to lung cancer, respiratory disorders, heart disease, stroke, and other serious illnesses.
The CDC reports that cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States - The CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health reports that more than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking cigarettes
Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use data:
- In 2021, 13.2 million people aged 12 or older (or 4.7%) used an e-cigarette or other vaping device to vape nicotine in the past month. The percentage of people who vaped nicotine was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (14.1% or 4.7 million people), followed by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (5.2% or 1.4 million people), then by adults aged 26 or older (3.2% or 7.1 million people).
- Among people aged 12 to 20 in 2021, 11.0% (or 4.3 million people) used tobacco products or used an e-cigarette or other vaping device to vape nicotine in the past month. Among people in this age group, 8.1% (or 3.1 million people) vaped nicotine, 5.4% (or 2.1 million people) used tobacco products, and 3.
4% (or 1.3 million people) smoked cigarettes in the past month. (2021 NSDUH) - Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Among both middle and high school students, current use of e-cigarettes declined from 2019 to 2020, reversing previous trends and returning current e-cigarette use to levels similar to those observed in 2018
- E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, or pregnant women, especially because they contain nicotine and other chemicals
Resources:
- Tips for Teens: Tobacco
- Tips for Teens: E-cigarettes
- Implementing Tobacco Cessation Programs in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings
- Synar Amendment Program
Links:
- Truth Initiative
- FDA Center for Tobacco Products
- CDC Office on Smoking and Health
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Tobacco, Nicotine, and E-Cigarettes
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: E-Cigarettes
Opioids
Data:
- Among people aged 12 or older in 2021, 3.
3% (or 9.2 million people) misused opioids (heroin or prescription pain relievers) in the past year. Among the 9.2 million people who misused opioids in the past year, 8.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers compared with 1.1 million people who used heroin. These numbers include 574,000 people who both misused prescription pain relievers and used heroin in the past year. (2021 NSDUH) - Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, 3.4% (or 9.5 million people) misused opioids in the past year. Among the 9.5 million people who misused opioids in the past year, 9.3 million people misused prescription pain relievers and 902,000 people used heroin (2020 NSDUH)
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Understanding the Epidemic, an average of 128 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose
Resources:
- Medications for Substance Use Disorders
- Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
- TIP 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
- Use of Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Criminal Justice Settings
- Opioid Use Disorder and Pregnancy
- Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant and Parenting Women With Opioid Use Disorder and Their Infants
- The Facts about Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction
- Pregnancy Planning for Women Being Treated for Opioid Use Disorder
- Tips for Teens: Opioids
- Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Grants
- Tribal Opioid Response Grants
- Provider’s Clinical Support System - Medication Assisted Treatment Grant Program
Links:
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Opioids
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Heroin
- HHS Prevent Opioid Abuse
- Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
- Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network
- Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network
Marijuana
Data:
- In 2021, marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug, with 18.
7% of people aged 12 or older (or 52.5 million people) using it in the past year. The percentage was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (35.4% or 11.8 million people), followed by adults aged 26 or older (17.2% or 37.9 million people), then by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (10.5% or 2.7 million people). - The percentage of people who used marijuana in the past year was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (34.5%) compared with 16.3% of adults aged 26 or older and 10.1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (2020 NSDUH)
- Marijuana can impair judgment and distort perception in the short term and can lead to memory impairment in the long term
- Marijuana can have significant health effects on youth and pregnant women.
Resources:
- Know the Risks of Marijuana
- Marijuana and Pregnancy
- Tips for Teens: Marijuana
Relevant links:
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Marijuana
- Addiction Technology Transfer Centers on Marijuana
- CDC Marijuana and Public Health
Emerging Trends in Substance Misuse:
- Methamphetamine—In 2019, NSDUH data show that approximately 2 million people used methamphetamine in the past year.
Approximately 1 million people had a methamphetamine use disorder, which was higher than the percentage in 2016, but similar to the percentages in 2015 and 2018. The National Institute on Drug Abuse Data shows that overdose death rates involving methamphetamine have quadrupled from 2011 to 2017. Frequent meth use is associated with mood disturbances, hallucinations, and paranoia. - Cocaine—In 2019, NSDUH data show an estimated 5.5 million people aged 12 or older were past users of cocaine, including about 778,000 users of crack. The CDC reports that overdose deaths involving have increased by one-third from 2016 to 2017. In the short term, cocaine use can result in increased blood pressure, restlessness, and irritability. In the long term, severe medical complications of cocaine use include heart attacks, seizures, and abdominal pain.
- Kratom—In 2019, NSDUH data show that about 825,000 people had used Kratom in the past month. Kratom is a tropical plant that grows naturally in Southeast Asia with leaves that can have psychotropic effects by affecting opioid brain receptors.
It is currently unregulated and has risk of abuse and dependence. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that health effects of Kratom can include nausea, itching, seizures, and hallucinations.
Resources:
- Tips for Teens: Methamphetamine
- Tips for Teens: Cocaine
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
More SAMHSA publications on substance use prevention and treatment.
Last Updated
Last Updated: 03/22/2023
Postpartum depression in men: why it occurs and how to deal with it
Despite the fact that only women are diagnosed with postpartum depression, men are also characterized by longing, apathy, and anxiety after the birth of children. We talked about this with a young father, and also discussed the topic with clinical and social psychologists - we found out how depression can manifest itself in fathers and why this problem is so rarely talked about.
“When I found out that my wife was pregnant, I wept with joy.
I wanted nothing more than to be a father. But sometimes our dreams do not match our expectations. When my wife first handed over our daughter Isabelle to me, I looked at this weak, swollen child and did not know what to do - I did not even want to hold her. I didn't feel anything. I expected a rush of emotions that parents and the media talk about so much, but there was none. Only emptiness. It seemed to me that it was caused by lack of sleep and the chaos associated with the birth of a child, but when a few days later I still did not feel anything, I realized that something was wrong. The numbness turned into indignation and hostility. Isabelle was constantly crying with me and wanted to be with her mother. I felt jealous: my daughter took all the time and attention of my wife, which, no matter how selfish it may sound, she used to give me.
I even began to regret the birth of my daughter, which led to feelings of guilt. It was hard, but I told my wife about my experiences. Because I felt like I hated my own daughter.
At first I wanted to leave my family — it sincerely seemed that they would be better off without me. On my anniversary, I even wrote a letter to my wife about it. It was painful for her to watch how I did not want to be the father of the daughter I dreamed of, and it was painful for me to feel this.
This is how a British postman named Ross Hunt remembers the first months of fatherhood - for several years now he has been talking on his blog about the postpartum depression he faced.
Despite the fact that there is no official diagnosis of "postpartum depression in men", manifestations of this phenomenon are common. According to statistics, approximately 10% of fathers suffer from this disorder. However, it is much more difficult to establish the exact number of depressive episodes in men after the birth of a child than in women.
Men are less likely to talk about their emotions, even if they think something is going wrong everything that is stereotypically perceived as "feminine".
Talking about feelings falls under this category. Traditional masculinity "allows" men to show only certain emotions (for example, aggression) and "forbids" others (empathy, kindness): "According to traditional masculinity, a man should cope with problems on his own. If you can’t deal with depression (which, by the way, is often perceived as “just a bad mood”), then what kind of man are you?
A man may not uphold the norms of traditional masculinity, but if he thinks that those around him approve of him, then he will adhere to these requirements. Moreover, sociological studies show that men, in principle, are less likely than women to turn to specialists if they have health problems - physical or mental. And they do not always speak honestly about their condition because of embarrassment or fear of changing their lifestyle on the advice of a doctor.
Vlad Krivoshchekov notes that the field of health in Russia is, in principle, very feminized: in heterosexual families, women are more often responsible for the health of all family members, and most of the advertising about medicines and doctors is addressed to mothers.
As a result, many men have a poorly developed skill of contacting doctors for help. Often men go to the clinic only when their wives, mothers or sisters send them there.
How does postpartum depression manifest itself in men
Postpartum depression can manifest itself in completely different ways and affect both a person’s emotions and his physical condition. The father may experience depression, apathy, guilt, jealousy. He is characterized by manifestations of aggression. He can move away from the family and behave irrationally, get annoyed for any reason. A man with postpartum depression, says clinical psychologist Anastasia Tretyakova, does everything mechanically. He loses the initiative to do something. He wants to isolate himself from society, withdraws into himself, does not joke, does not go anywhere, does not think logically, does not show empathy. It is difficult for him to accept the point of view of another person. A person with a psychological disorder loses appetite, sleep problems appear, and libido decreases.
Causes of postpartum depression in men
Causes of postpartum depression in men are very similar to factors of depression in women. Firstly, after the birth of a child, men can also change their hormonal levels. Modern research claims that new fathers, for example, have reduced testosterone levels.
Robin Edelstein, psychologist and director of the Personality, Relationships, and Hormones Laboratory at the University of Michigan, says these changes have a positive effect on the development of empathy and attachment to children: men with lower testosterone levels devote more time to children and family.
The second possible reason is additional responsibility and stress. “It can be difficult for men to cope with the burden of responsibility that they have placed on themselves. From now on, they have to work much more and earn more - this causes lack of sleep and chronic fatigue, ”says Anastasia Tretyakova.
Piotr, 37 :
“When our daughter was born, I was incredibly happy.
I remember that I just jokingly thought: "Goodbye, that's it!" In fact, after that day, I almost completely said goodbye to music, writing and everything except work and home. There was almost never more time for this, no matter how I tried to find it. After the birth of the child, my wife and I began to sleep little. Our daughter was restless, often waking up and screaming. We rocked her for hours. Sometimes she would not stop yelling from morning to evening. Life was chaos, we literally survived. I worked in fits and starts when I could: during daytime sleep or walks with a stroller, at night in between awakenings from colic. Credit obligations began to put more pressure on my brain: my thoughts were only occupied by the question of how to provide for my family. Due to lack of sleep, I did everything automatically, not really thinking about how I felt. Apparently, this was my way of dealing with emotions - not connecting them. No one helped me deal with stress. It was I who had to help my wife and fight with my mother-in-law, who constantly prevented me from taking care of my daughter.
There were no other options. I realized that I did not have the option to say that I could not carry a screaming child at night - who then could? There was no option not to make money. The concept of “tired” basically ceased to exist for me.”
How to distinguish depression from a depressive episode?
Full-blown depression differs from a depressive episode in duration and intensity. If the episode is repeated several times, it is worth thinking about the external causes of the disorder and ways to eliminate them. If the state of depression, apathy and irritation lasts for more than a month, this may be a sign of depression. When experiences last from three to six months, this is a serious reason to turn to a specialist - a psychotherapist or clinical psychologist. If necessary, he will refer the patient to another doctor - a neurologist or an endocrinologist.
Stigmatization of the problem and its consequences
According to WHO statistics, Russia has been leading the international ranking of male suicide for several years.
Vlad Krivoshchekov is sure that this is a natural consequence of the stigmatization of depression and the hushing up of mental problems: “If a person does not have any mechanisms to demonstrate that he is not in order, except through his body, then sooner or later he may resort to this. The good news is that well-chosen psychotherapy and timely seeking help really help to cope with negative emotions.
Hooray! Now we have another Instagram: Chalk from 0 to 6. If your child is still a preschooler, you have been dreaming of a good sleep for a long time and google everything about breastfeeding, vaccinations and overalls - subscribe, we have a lot of interesting things!
Help for dad: is postpartum depression possible in men? It is known that about 25 percent of women are prone to postpartum depression, but this condition is also characteristic of men. In about one in ten cases, a new dad experiences symptoms of depression after having a baby. Vladimir Grafsky, psychologist and mediator of the Krasnoselsky family center of the Moscow Department of Labor and Social Protection, tells how to deal with them.
What causes this condition in men?
The family is a single organism. The general emotional background in the family depends on each of its members. If a woman experiences psychological discomfort, then in a man this condition can also manifest itself to one degree or another.
Each family goes through its own stages of development. In psychology, there is the concept of "family crisis of the birth of the first child." Spouses master the new roles of dad and mom for them. The way of life is changing. Now he is primarily subordinated to the interests of the baby. Caring for the baby takes almost all of his free time, he can cry, be naughty, interfere with sleep. Most parents quickly adapt to new conditions, but some get used to the role of dad and mom for a long time and painfully. Then the first signs of an approaching depression appear - fatigue, apathy, sleep disturbance and appetite.
First signs
How can relatives recognize dad's depression? For the following changes in behavior:
- Irritability on any occasion connected with the behavior of the wife.
- Closedness in oneself, unwillingness to talk, share impressions from the past day.
— Disputes and scandals between spouses, ranging from the smallest issues to the question of further cohabitation.
- Avoidance of the child and family. The father is reluctant to come into contact with the baby, does not want to be alone with him, stays late at work or finds things to do outside the home in his free time.
- Tendency to unjustified risks in behavior, alcohol abuse.
- Loss of interest in former hobbies (sports, cars, etc.).
If in a woman by nature there are physical changes in the body that set her up for a new stage of life and due to this there is a gradual entry into the role of a mother, then a man must accept this role without “physical training”. The paternal instinct, unlike the maternal one, wakes up much later - when the child grows up, communication with him becomes more active and exciting, joint cognitive and intellectual games are possible.
Therefore, a man has a hard time with a newborn. Even if he really wanted a child, was waiting for this event, then a collision with reality can disappoint him. What to do and how to help?
Just like a mother, a young father also needs support so that the joy of the arrival of a new family member is not overshadowed by a depressive state due to a break in the usual way of life. To do this, the mother can unobtrusively tell and show how to treat the baby, how you can combine the usual way of life and communication with the child. It's great if there is an opportunity to spend more time with the whole family - walking in the fresh air, visiting grandparents, meeting friends and their children.
On the other hand, each of the spouses has the right to be distracted from time to time, to "escape from the hustle and bustle of the house" - to watch a movie, listen to music, go shopping or meet friends. The main thing is to be able to negotiate so that the satisfaction of one's own desires does not become a cause of disagreement and quarrels.
It is advisable to sometimes arrange a "parental leave". To do this, we need the help of relatives and relatives who are ready to sit with the child. You can give free time to each other - arrange a romantic evening, go somewhere together together.
Where can I turn to for help?
If the psycho-emotional state of the young father does not improve and depression begins to be protracted, you need to seek help from a qualified specialist - a psychotherapist, neurologist, psychologist. Depression can have the most serious negative health consequences, both psychophysiologically and physically.
If we are talking about problems in relationships between spouses, then you can turn to specialists family centers. A psychologist will help you find internal resources to overcome a depressive state, and a mediator will help you negotiate and resolve all disputes, quarrels and disagreements in interpersonal relationships. The result of such agreements may be a jointly developed mediation agreement - an agreed plan of action.
