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Postnatal depression and perinatal mental health

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

Can partners get perinatal mental health problems? 

Doctors can only formally diagnose you with a perinatal mental health problem if you are pregnant or have given birth to a child in the past year. 

But if your partner is pregnant or recently gave birth, you may also experience mental health problems during this time. For example, some studies show that partners can experience depression or anxiety around the time of their child’s birth. 

If you think you’re experiencing a mental health problem, there is help and support available. 

This page covers: 

  • Why might partners experience mental health problems? 
  • Signs and symptoms of mental health problems 
  • Support for partners 

“Overall it was a horrific time in our lives, for a total of around 18 months from falling pregnant to coming out the other side, which really put a massive strain on our relationship. Looking back, I’m not sure how we managed to get through it all.” 

Why might partners experience mental health problems? 

There are many reasons that you might experience mental health problems while your partner is pregnant or after they give birth. 

But these problems are more likely if you: 

  • don’t have good support networks in place 
  • are struggling with other stressful life events like moving house, losing your job or a bereavement 
  • have poor living conditions or are living in poverty 
  • experienced abuse in your childhood. 

You might also be coping with: 

  • extra responsibilities around the house 
  • financial pressures 
  • a changing relationship with your partner 
  • lack of sleep 
  • looking after several children. 

Your partner may also experience mental health problems during their pregnancy or after giving birth. This can make it even harder for you to cope with the normal struggles of becoming a parent. 

Depression as a new dad 

“I was barely even past a week into my journey as a father and I was already on medication and signed off work.” 

Signs and symptoms of mental health problems 

Everybody reacts to becoming a parent in different ways. But there are some common signs that you may be experiencing a mental health problem. These include: 

  • fear, confusion, helplessness and uncertainty about the future 
  • guilt, for example because you weren’t the person who had to give birth 
  • withdrawal from family life, work and social situations 
  • indecisiveness 
  • frustration, irritability, cynicism and anger 
  • hostility or indifference to your partner 
  • hostility or indifference to your baby 
  • using more alcohol or recreational drugs than usual 
  • finding it hard to sleep, even when you have the chance 
  • physical symptoms like indigestion, changes in appetite and weight, diarrhoea, constipation, headaches, toothaches and nausea. 

If you think you’re experiencing mental health problems, it is possible to manage these feelings with the right support. 

Support for partners 

There are a few different ways that you can get support for your mental health: 

Speak to your doctor about your mental health 

You can speak to your doctor any time you experience mental health problems. This includes during the time that your partner is pregnant or after your child is born. 

Your doctor can refer you to local support services or talking therapies. They can also prescribe you medication for your mental health. 

Contact a specialist organisation 

There are organisations who specialise in helping and supporting partners during this time: 

See our useful contacts page for other organisations who may be able to help. 

Self-care 

There are a few different ways that you can look after your own mental health if you feel like you are struggling. See our page on ways to look after your mental health when becoming a parent for ideas that may help. 

We also have pages about different types of mental health problems that you may experience. These pages include specific self-care tips and treatment and support options.

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

Can partners get perinatal mental health problems?

Can partners get perinatal mental health problems? 

Doctors can only formally diagnose you with a perinatal mental health problem if you are pregnant or have given birth to a child in the past year. 

But if your partner is pregnant or recently gave birth, you may also experience mental health problems during this time. For example, some studies show that partners can experience depression or anxiety around the time of their child's birth. 

If you think you're experiencing a mental health problem, there is help and support available. 

This page covers: 

  • Why might partners experience mental health problems? 
  • Signs and symptoms of mental health problems 
  • Support for partners 

"Overall it was a horrific time in our lives, for a total of around 18 months from falling pregnant to coming out the other side, which really put a massive strain on our relationship. Looking back, I'm not sure how we managed to get through it all." 

Why might partners experience mental health problems? 

There are many reasons that you might experience mental health problems while your partner is pregnant or after they give birth. 

But these problems are more likely if you: 

  • don't have good support networks in place 
  • are struggling with other stressful life events like moving house, losing your job or a bereavement 
  • have poor living conditions or are living in poverty 
  • experienced abuse in your childhood. 

You might also be coping with: 

  • extra responsibilities around the house 
  • financial pressures 
  • a changing relationship with your partner 
  • lack of sleep 
  • looking after several children. 

Your partner may also experience mental health problems during their pregnancy or after giving birth. This can make it even harder for you to cope with the normal struggles of becoming a parent. 

Depression as a new dad 

"I was barely even past a week into my journey as a father and I was already on medication and signed off work." 

Signs and symptoms of mental health problems 

Everybody reacts to becoming a parent in different ways. But there are some common signs that you may be experiencing a mental health problem. These include: 

  • fear, confusion, helplessness and uncertainty about the future 
  • guilt, for example because you weren't the person who had to give birth 
  • withdrawal from family life, work and social situations 
  • indecisiveness 
  • frustration, irritability, cynicism and anger 
  • hostility or indifference to your partner 
  • hostility or indifference to your baby 
  • using more alcohol or recreational drugs than usual 
  • finding it hard to sleep, even when you have the chance 
  • physical symptoms like indigestion, changes in appetite and weight, diarrhoea, constipation, headaches, toothaches and nausea. 

If you think you're experiencing mental health problems, it is possible to manage these feelings with the right support. 

Support for partners 

There are a few different ways that you can get support for your mental health: 

Speak to your doctor about your mental health 

You can speak to your doctor any time you experience mental health problems. This includes during the time that your partner is pregnant or after your child is born. 

Your doctor can refer you to local support services or talking therapies. They can also prescribe you medication for your mental health. 

Contact a specialist organisation 

There are organisations who specialise in helping and supporting partners during this time: 

See our useful contacts page for other organisations who may be able to help. 

Self-care 

There are a few different ways that you can look after your own mental health if you feel like you are struggling. See our page on ways to look after your mental health when becoming a parent for ideas that may help. 

We also have pages about different types of mental health problems that you may experience. These pages include specific self-care tips and treatment and support options.