Fatherhood and Mental Health: Why Asking for Help Is a Sign of Strength
The Good Men Project
By Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, ACSW, ACHT, CEO and President of Parents Anonymous
Becoming a father changes many things, but it does not make someone immune to stress, grief, loneliness or periods when life feels difficult to manage. When you are responsible for caring for your family and responding to their needs, it can also become easy to put your own needs aside or simply stop checking in with how you are doing.
That is especially important to consider during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate among males in the United States was nearly four times higher than the rate among females in 2024, at 22.2 deaths per 100,000 males compared with 5.6 per 100,000 females.
Numbers this stark are a reminder that our own mental health cannot always be the thing we get to later. Asking for help can matter long before someone reaches a crisis.
For fathers, seeking support when they need it does not diminish who they are as a parent or the care they provide to their family. It means recognizing that their well-being deserves care, too.