Postpartum depression can feel isolating and scary, and far too often it’s an experience that new moms are hesitant to discuss. Many women feel guilty or fear being judged, and others believe something must be wrong with them. In reality, that’s not the case, and you don’t have to feel alone. 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression, making it surprisingly common.

As men, we don’t always have it easy. We are taught from a very young age that both our feelings and our problems (mental and physical) should be kept to ourselves. As a result, we rarely discuss our health-related problems, and subsequently, have very little awareness of what is a real health problem, and what isn’t.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder, occurring as a by-product of witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. The most common causes of PTSD are a natural disaster, vehicular accidents, an act of terrorism, wartime combat, sexual assault, or any other violent act. This isn’t even close to a full list.

When you’re pregnant, you’ll receive tips and advice from your family, friends, and even random strangers at the grocery store. With advice being hurled at you from all directions, you would think you know everything under the sun about pregnancy and childbirth.

First off, right off the top, it needs to be stated that this article is no substitute for medical assistance and support, and neither is it intended to be a self-diagnostic tool. Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder), body dysmorphia, and hypergymnasia (when one exercises excessively) are all cases where working with a professional is absolutely critical to safe and healthy recovery.

Modern medicine has come a long way since the days of bloodletting and leeching and continues to make incredible advancements every day. Despite the incredible array of effective treatments available to us, “quack cures” that aren’t supported by the scientific method are still commonly used.