Surgeon general calls for reform to protect parent's mental health
By: Eduardo Cuevas
USA Today
..... Parenting is daunting.
..... The top U.S. doctor, whose kids just returned to school, admitted as much Wednesday [08/28/2024] as he highlighted the "silent struggles" parents face as they try to care for the children in 2024.
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As parents spend more time caring for their children, they are paradoxically working more, contributing to stark rises in stress and feeling of isolation, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in an advisory issued Wednesday. [08/28/2024] He previously warned about youth mental health in 2021, in addition to advisories about the dangers of social media, isolation and gun violence.
..... Now, he's turned to caretakers, noting how much of a struggle it is to raise children. Parents and caregivers also need support.
..... "This is one of those silent struggles that many parents are contending with," Murthy, a father of two, told USA Today. "My hope is that we can shine a light on something that's affecting millions of people across the country."
..... In the last decade, parents were more likely to experience higher stress levels. Nearly half of parents reported their stress was overwhelming most days, compared to just a quarter of people without children, a 2023 American Psychological Association survey found. More than 3 in 5 parents surveyed said no one understood how stressed they were.
..... The actual stress factors are side and varied for the 63 million U.S. parents with children 18 and younger. some stressors have long concerned parents, including worries about safety, the rising cost of living and sleep deprivation, Murthy said. Others reflect a new era of parenting. For example, gun violence is the leading cause of death for children. Parents also must wrangle the effects of classic media, and monitor children's concerns about loneliness and overall mental health, amid high elves of depression and anxiety among youth.
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Parents also work longer hours than previous generations. Mothers spent about 20.9 hours working in 1985, compared to 26.7 hours in 2022, according to the advisory. In that same period, fathers went from 39.8 hours to 41.2 hours.
..... That doesn't mean they're spending less time with their children. In fact, Murthy said, parents are spending more time caring for their children than previous generations. Part of this can be attributed to the rising cost of child care. Additional hours at work and caring for children take away form rest, recovery and time with friends, and it contributes to feelings of isolation and loneliness, Murthy said. In a 2021 study nearly two-thirds of parents p- and over three-quarters of single parents - reported feeling lonely, compared with just over half of people without kids.
..... Parents' mental health struggles can affect children, Murthy's advisory warned. untreated mental health conditions or substance use issues in households can create adverse experiences for children that cause negative mental, physical or behavioral health outcomes. Depression, anxiety and struggles in school or with other people can have lasting effects.
..... The advisory called for policy reform and fostering a culture that supports parents, including same-sex and non-binary parents, blended families, foster parents and single parents. Murthy called for policymakers to bolster child care assistance through income tax credits, subsidies for care and early childhood education programs. Additionally, he pushed for national paid family leave, paid sick time and programs to reduce the poverty rate.
..... Parents have to prioritize care for themselves.