Mental Health News

In Today's Mental Health News...

Did you know that intrusive thoughts in the first year postpartum are more the norm than not for new parents?

Research suggests that a large majority of new mothers (ranging from 70 to 100% in research studies) experience intrusive thoughts after having a baby. These are often unwanted thoughts or images about the baby’s safety, accidents, or fears of harming the infant (despite having no desire to do so). These experiences are often attributed to lack of sleep and hormonal fluctuations postpartum -- but  did you know that new dads can experience intrusive thoughts too?

In today’s mental health news, Foreman, Hunt, Peterkin, and Hodgekins (2025) interviewed 349 new parents (mothers and fathers with babies under 12 months) about intrusive thoughts and psychotic-like experiences. (To be clear, psychosis and OCD are distinct processes but they can sometimes be confused.) The authors found 96% of new parents reported at least one intrusive thought, and 94% reported experiencing these thoughts daily. The majority of parents (91%) found these thoughts to be distressing, and 95% reported doing something to cope (i.e., seeking reassurance or checking on the baby). Interestingly, dads in this sample were more likely to report intrusive thoughts, along with higher symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to moms.

It's important to note that fathers represented a small percentage of the overall sample, and almost half the parents reported a prior mental health history; however, the takeaway is clear: intrusive thoughts in the first year after a baby are common for both moms and dads. So, if you’re a new parent dealing with intrusive thoughts, you’re not “going crazy” and you’re not alone. If these thoughts bother you a lot or persist, talk to your doctor -- help is available!