US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy released an advisory on parental mental health and well-being, calling attention to the importance of parental stress, mental health and well-being, stressors unique to parenting and the “relationship between parental mental health and child outcomes.”
The advisory, titled “Parents Under Pressure,” was created to address the “unique stressors that parents and caregivers face” in the modern era, particularly with social media, school violence, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the advisory, 41% of parents say that most days they are “so stressed they cannot function” while 48% say “their stress is completely overwhelming,” compared to 26% among other adults. Murthy says these high levels of stress existed before the pandemic but have been exasperated due to finances and concerns about their own mental health and the mental health of people in their care.
Murthy addressed these issues previously in an opinion piece from The New York Times titled, “Parents are at their wits end. We can do better,” where he spoke of his own struggles with parenting.
“The joys are indeed abundant, but as fulfilling as parenting has been, the truth is it has also been more stressful than any job I’ve had,” Murthy, a father of two, said in the piece.
He added that it is “time to recognize they constitute a serious public health concern for our country,” saying parents who feel pushed to the brink “need tangible support.”
The American Psychological Association published a study in October of 2023 about parental mental health challenges. Among the findings: 60% of parents say stress makes it hard for them to focus and 42% of parents said they are so stressed that they feel numb.
Luckily, the Surgeon General also included advice for parents and those around them to follow and work to mitigate stress.
Remember that caring for yourself is caring for your family
Murthy recommends that parents don’t look at addressing their mental health needs as something outside of their parental duties.
“Setting healthy boundaries that allow one to take such time should not bring guilt or shame but rather be seen as vital actions that can ultimately benefit parents and caregivers as well as their children,” Murthy said in the advisory.
He recommends some quick things you can do to take care of yourself throughout a busy day, such as exercise, sleep, a balanced diet and mindfulness.
Nurture connections with other parents and caregivers
The Surgeon General says that parenting is best done with the support of other parents, family members and friends.
“Such community can provide opportunities to share your feelings, concerns, and challenges while also learning from the experiences of other parents,” Murthy said.
The Surgeon General advises that parents seek out and create relations with parents of children across all age groups.
Empower yourself with information about mental health care
Parents should be educated about what options are available to them regarding their mental health, the advisory recommends. They recommend parents use the tool findsupport.gov, and understand their choices for “accessing health care or support, including treatment options, how to pay for treatment” and “ways to cope.”
Seek help when needed
Lastly, the Surgeon General recommends parents recognize how their own mental health challenges manifest.
“If you feel bad and are not getting better, you need and deserve additional care,” Murthy said.
He tells parents not to fear seeking support from a peer, family member, mental health provider or medical professional.
“Raising children is sacred work. It should matter to all of us,” Murthy said.
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