A TLC star is coming clean about his struggles with postpartum depression. In a statement for People, star of OutDaughtered and dad to the only all-female set of quintuplets in America, Adam Busby, has revealed he suffers from postpartum depression. The father hopes that being open about his mental health will help those who are similarly suffering.
An upcoming episode of OutDaughtered will show Busby discussing postpartum depression, which reportedly affects 1 in 10 dads, according to a study at the Center for Pediatric Research at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. In the exclusive sneak peek from People, Busby seems out out of sorts after taking his daughter Hazel to a doctor's appointment. Though Busby and his wife Danielle were relieved to hear good news about Hazel's health, the dad — who is also a father to six-year-old Blayke — was still dealing with a lot of emotions.
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People revealed that Busby will directly confront the issue in a later scene, but has already opened up about the issue with a statement to the outlet:
"After coming face to face with postpartum depression following the birth of our five daughters, I quickly learned that this is a very real struggle that dads all around the world go through, yet you rarely ever hear it talked about," said the reality star. "I’d be doing an extreme disservice to our fans if I hid this from the public and wasn’t honest with them."
He added:
"I have a big responsibility with the platform that I have been given. I want to make sure that I bring awareness to the realities of postpartum depression and other mental health issues. Why? Because I know I’m not alone and I want others to know they aren’t either. I want men to feel comfortable opening up about their feelings and expressing the struggles they’re going through. I want to help end the stigma surrounding mental health. The worst thing that you can do is stay silent and try fix things on your own. So, I’m going to make sure I do the exact opposite of that."
Busby isn't the first to open up about mental health issues that sometimes come with a new baby. Chrissy Teigen got candid in Glamour about her own postpartum depression, which, for Teigen, manifested itself in physical ailments.
"Getting out of bed to get to set on time was painful," Teigen wrote in her essay for the outlet "My lower back throbbed; my shoulders — even my wrists — hurt."
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She added:
"I wanted to write an open letter to friends and employers to explain why I had been so unhappy. The mental pain of knowing I let so many people down at once was worse than the physical pain. To have people that you respect, who are the best in the business, witness you at your worst is tough."
While it's no one's responsibility to talk about something as personal as their mental health, it's great to see stars like Busby and Teigen discussing their own issues in hopes that they can connect with others.
If you are experiencing postpartum depression, please call the Postpartum Support Helpline.