Home » Misc » Postpartum depression anger

Postpartum depression anger


SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA

Your browser is not supported

Switch to Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari

Main page content

  • 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.

  • 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: 08/30/2022

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

Your browser is not supported

Switch to Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari

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: 03/22/2023

"The baby was crying, I wanted to throw him into the crib and leave." How to cope with postpartum depression

10749

Postpartum depression is a serious medical problem, experts say. It develops in 10-15% of young mothers. About what to do if the child causes irritation, others are angry, and you constantly want to cry.

My personal story

With my first child, 12 years ago, it became hard for me personally after about six months: fatigue, monotony and monotony affected. I don’t think this is the notorious depression, many mothers go through it. I remember that I realized that everything was bad when, during the crying of the child, the thought flashed through to throw him into the crib and leave. I, such a caring mother, who tried to do everything according to the book, was simply shocked by this impulse. Thanks to my mom who came to the rescue and later allowed me to go to work a little earlier. The youngest son is already 8 months old, and sometimes there are slight bouts of anguish, but now they are much easier to deal with. My own recipe: walk more, in any weather, except for a downpour and a big frost, and devote at least half an hour to yourself: a very hot shower, bright socks, a cup of coffee or your favorite yogurt, an interesting book, and if time permits, watch a fragment of your favorite series. For mood - regular trips to the hairdresser. It helps me. I've asked other moms and most of the advice is the same.

Opinions and advice of specialists

Since postpartum depression is a serious medical problem, our questions are answered by the psychologist of the Bobruisk maternity hospital Syromolot Tatyana Nikolaevna :

– Postpartum depression is an emotional disorder that causes in the first months after the birth of a child mother is experiencing strong negative emotions. Postpartum depression develops in 10-15% of women. It can occur not only after the first birth, and, as a rule, the symptoms develop gradually, over several months, but the onset can be sudden. For some women, symptoms may peak after a couple of weeks, then subside and become indolent for 3-12 months. It is still not completely known what causes postpartum depression. Apparently, the reason is a combination of physical and emotional preconditions. Among them are hormonal changes, lack of sleep, emotional distress.

Photo: dawn, used as an illustration.

It often happens that a tired and twitchy mother develops aggression directed at her child. To our question, how can mom cope with this, Anna Matulyak , family and reproductive psychologist, Gestalt therapist, gives the following advice:

– The first and most important thing is to allow yourself to be angry, to give yourself the right to do so. No guilt. It is suppressed anger that causes affective outbursts. Think of a way to respond to anger that doesn't scare the child. For example, go out into another room and scream into a pillow (they also advise tearing paper folded several times, washing clothes with your feet in the bathroom, etc. - author's note). Consider ways to relieve accumulated stress: lie in the bathroom, drink tea calmly, and so on. Ask for help, and not to be in time with household chores, but to fully relax.

Many women feel guilty because of their "unreasonable" unhappiness. Remember that postpartum depression is not your fault, but an emotional disturbance. If within 2-3 weeks after childbirth your condition is not restored, you need to contact a specialist. For help, you can contact a psychologist in the Bobruisk maternity hospital, a psychologist or psychotherapist in a clinic at the place of registration.

Advice from Bobruisk mothers

Anastasia, mother of two daughters:

The most important thing I realized is that I need a release from my home environment. A nice book or meditation will help a lot. Sometimes just walking in silence is enough to replenish resources.

Tatyana, mother of many children:

– Love for my husband and very long walks in the fresh air help me from depression.

It is important for a young mother not to withdraw into herself, not to let her daily routine drag her down. Therefore, it is very important to “go out into the world”. It’s great if your spouse or someone close to you is allowed to have a cup of coffee. But even if not, there are places in Bobruisk that you can visit with your baby: cafes, parks, game centers, joint water aerobics, fitness, yoga, themed classes in time clubs.

Photo: medicalnewstoday, used as an illustration.

Moderate exercise plays an important role. Alena Arsentieva , head of the dance school and mother of many children from Bobruisk , believes that the psychological state of a woman is largely determined by physiology. According to her, experts believe that when dancing or your favorite sport, hormones are actively secreted that are responsible for feelings of joy, happiness, and reduce anxiety.

Alyona advises not to give up hobbies and just in this way to explain to relatives the importance for a young mother of her favorite activities, on which the "weather" in the house ultimately depends.

If all the measures taken do not help, or you do not want to contact specialists, or you have an unbearable situation at home, remember that you are not alone, and any problem can be solved together. In social networks, for example, on Facebook, there is a self-help group “Women Together”, which unites women from different cities of the republic. If desired, any mother can apply there for help and become a volunteer herself. Help can range from “just talking” to bringing lunch or professional advice.

With the permission of one of the members of the group, a practicing psychologist, consultant Maryana Sinichkina-Petrova , here is her advice to young mothers:

– Minimize energy consumption. Everyone knows the “wonderful” recommendations to do wet cleaning every day, supposedly this is very necessary for the baby. I didn’t see any changes in babies depending on the washed floor, but I did see them depending on the mother’s condition. Get out of the house. Preferably every day, at least for a little bit. Walk, breathe deeply and enjoy freedom. At least once a week, if possible, be sure to go out for a few hours. Coffee with a friend, shopping, sports, manicure - whatever you choose.

Photo used as an illustration.

Share your worries. I often hear: the baby is anxious, probably something is bothering him. So, try to think the same about yourself. Are you worried? How can a young mother not be worried, especially if this is the first child? No way! But what she can and does with “enviable” regularity is that she is left alone with this anxiety. How can you help here? In the first place, of course, psychotherapy. But if there is no way with therapy, then you can turn to relatives - husband, girlfriends, etc. It is only important that they do not fuel your anxiety (everything is gone, what to do, what a horror) and do not depreciate (oh, this is nonsense; yes, our grandmothers gave birth to ten and are normal), but simply listened. Just tell them like that: I'll complain to you for 15 minutes, and you just sit, nod and stroke my head. And then tell me everything will be fine.

Checklist. Check if you suffer from postpartum depression

Here are a few signs of postpartum depression:

  • severe mood swings, increased irritability and outbursts of anger,
  • constant drowsiness or insomnia,
  • difficulty in getting closer to the baby and feeling guilty that you are a bad and worthless mother,
  • increased appetite or loss of it,
  • distance from relatives and friends, decreased interest in what you liked before,
  • difficulty concentrating and difficulty doing normal daily activities,
  • recurrent thoughts of child death and suicide.

Ekaterina NOVITSKAYA, host of the section “Mom on maternity leave”

Any questions about the development, upbringing, problems of your children, you can send me an email: no-kat83@mail. ru together 9008 !

Psychiatrist: Refusal to breastfeed and mood swings may be signs of postpartum depression - Moscow City News Agency

Refusal to feed the baby, mood swings, motor retardation, decreased concentration, and sleep and appetite disturbances may be signs of postpartum depression. This was reported to the Moscow City News Agency by a psychotherapist, a member of the professional association of sexologists Elena Malakhova.

On the morning of November 11, in the Babushkinsky district of Moscow, a woman fell out of the window of a nine-story apartment building along with her two children. One child died, the second is in critical condition. According to media reports, the woman suffered from postpartum depression, which could be the reason for her act.

“You can usually see postpartum depression right away. Watch out for symptoms such as refusal to feed a baby if a woman has milk but still refuses to feed. Also, changes in mood - both a depressed mood, and outbreaks of aggression, irritability, anxiety, tearfulness. Such depression may be characterized by a daily rhythm, when a woman wakes up in the morning, and she is in a bad mood, but by the evening she gradually gets better. Sleep and appetite disturbances may also occur. Sleep becomes intermittent, disturbing, may be accompanied by nightmares. There may be intrusive, disturbing thoughts during the day and before falling asleep. These thoughts prevent a woman from falling asleep. Another symptom is motor retardation. A woman can sit, staring at one point and not respond to the crying of the child and not approach him. These symptoms gradually increase. Also, in the structure of postpartum depression, negative emotions towards the child can occur: hatred, anger, irritation. So a woman can fantasize about how she suffocates a child with a pillow, causes him physical pain, and so on,” E. Malakhova said.

She clarified that there are two types of causes of postpartum depression.

“The first is concomitant diseases, a history of mental disorders, hereditary burden, if, for example, there were some psychiatric diagnoses along the female line, personal characteristics. The second group is psychological reasons related to herself or her partner. When a woman is not ready to become a mother, and she does not quite understand what she will face. Hormonal and emotional changes are stressors that can also trigger this depression,” the psychiatrist explained.

She added that disharmony between spouses could be the cause of postpartum depression.

“Or it often happens that the appearance of a child brings disharmony into the relationship of a couple. A partner can cheat on a woman while she is pregnant, because as a result of changes that occur in a woman’s body, she can refuse him intimacy, and some men find it difficult to experience sexual withdrawal. Either the relationship broke up, the husband left the family - this is also a psychological trauma for a woman, there is even such a phenomenon of a “dead mother” in analytical psychology, when a woman is immersed in her depressive experiences, she is not in emotional contact with the child, and the child feels unnecessary and abandoned. Contact with such a mother is traumatic for a child, and leads to a distortion of his mental development,” E. Malakhova said.

She emphasized the need to see a specialist as soon as possible because the disease tends to become more severe.

“A woman should definitely be seen by a psychiatrist, because some types of postpartum depression require psychopharmacotherapy, and without this, there will be no improvement. During this period, when a woman is toxic to herself and toxic to a child, then, of course, you need to find a substitute figure who would take care of the child. If left untreated, depression can become chronic and recur. Cases where a woman has suicidal thoughts deserve special attention. They reflect the severity of the mental condition, and in some cases require compulsory treatment measures. Depression is experienced as a very painful painful condition, and therefore sometimes suicide can be used as a way out of these experiences, ”the specialist added.

The psychiatrist advised the partner of a woman who has signs of postpartum depression to be as patient and understanding as possible.

Learn more