Parental stress is a growing public health concern, US surgeon general says
Parents in the United States are "feeling exhausted" and "burned out," and this is becoming a growing public issue, the US surgeon general said.
In a public health advisory, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy talked about the impact of modern stresses on parents' mental health.
“The work of parenting is essential not only for the health of children but also for the health of society,” he wrote. “We know that the well-being of parents and caregivers is directly linked to the well-being of their children.”
He noted that compared to 1985, parents work more hours and spend a significant amount of time each week on primary child care.
“Demands from both work and child caregiving have come at the cost of quality time with one’s partner, sleep, and parental leisure time,” he continued.
A 2023 survey mentioned in the advisory found that 33% of parents reported high levels of stress in the past month, compared with 20% of other adults.
These stressors include, but are not limited to, financial strain, economic instability, and poverty; time demands; children’s health; children’s safety; parental isolation and loneliness; technology and social media; and cultural pressures and children’s futures.
Murthy also said there were at least 63 million parents and caregivers, with 48% feeling completely overwhelmed by their responsibilities. Single parents, in particular, are experiencing a heightened sense of isolation and exhaustion.
A call for support
Murthy is calling for increased resources to address parental burnout and stress.
He made a list of recommendations on "how to support parents and caregivers through policy changes, community programs, and individual actions."
Among these are a "national paid family and medical leave program, paid sick time for all workers, bolstered support for child care financial assistance, universal preschool, and programs such as Head Start," CNN reported.
Employers can also provide paid leave and flexible work arrangements, and train managers on how to support employees facing stress.
Murthy explained to Reuters that there's a link between parents' mental health and their child's wellbeing.
"Behind this youth mental health crisis is real crisis with parents, where many of them are struggling with profound stress and with their own mental health challenges," he said in an interview. "If you really want to help kids, one of the things you've got to do is actually help parents."
He also told CNN that individual support “[goes] a long way toward helping parents feel supported and seen.”
“There’s difference between saying something’s important and making it a priority,” Murthy said. “And if we’re going to really make supporting parents a priority, then we’ve got to have a major culture shift in our country, such that we see parenting is central to the health and well-being of society.”
“The bottom line is that we’ve got to start seeing mental health as health. It is no less important than our physical health,” Murthy said Wednesday. “If we can attend to both our mental and physical health, then we have a good chance, you know, of being happy, healthy and fulfilled, and that’s what we all want for ourselves and especially for our kids,” he added.