If you have a problem with drinking or substances, reach out now
For some parents, the pressure of the perinatal period shows up as increased drinking, cannabis use, or reliance on prescription medications. This is not a moral failing — it is often how untreated depression, anxiety, or trauma surfaces. If this is happening for you, reach out now and get help without judgment.
It can start small
A glass of wine to take the edge off. A sleep aid that becomes nightly. Cannabis to quiet the racing thoughts. What begins as coping can become a dependency, especially when sleep deprivation, isolation, and untreated mood symptoms are in the mix.
Shame keeps people silent
New parents are often afraid to admit they are struggling with substance use because they fear judgment, child protective services, or being labeled a bad parent. In reality, reaching out for treatment is protective — for you and for your family.
Co-occurring care matters
Substance use and perinatal mental health conditions often occur together. Effective treatment addresses both at the same time — therapy, medical support, and sometimes medication-assisted treatment, tailored to whether you are pregnant, postpartum, or parenting.
Before you stop on your own
If you are drinking daily, using benzodiazepines, or using opioids, do not stop abruptly on your own. Withdrawal from alcohol and benzodiazepines can be dangerous, and in pregnancy, stopping opioids abruptly carries risks for you and the baby — the standard of care is medically supervised treatment, often with buprenorphine or methadone. Call your OB or 911 first. SAMHSA's free, confidential National Helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-662-4357, and its findtreatment.gov locator lists licensed programs near you. New Jersey's ReachNJ line is 1-844-732-2465, 24/7.
South Jersey Recovery Program (affiliated)
Outpatient addiction treatment in Berlin, NJ (Camden County) for adults with alcohol, opioid, prescription-medication, and co-occurring disorders: partial care, IOP, outpatient, and medication-assisted treatment. The operator of this website holds an ownership interest in South Jersey Recovery Program. It does not provide detox; if you may need withdrawal management, start with your OB, 911, or the SAMHSA line above.