A new advisory written and published by the United States Surgeon General warns that the stress of parenthood has become a significant public health issues in the country, as “technological and economic forces have reshaped the world at a dizzying pace.”
In the analysis, titled “Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents Dr. Vivek Murthy, who is a father of two, discusses how the challenges of parenthood have become exacerbated by the unstable financial conditions that are a reality for many families and a culture that revolves around social media and comparison.
“Given all these factors, it’s no wonder that so many parents are struggling. In my conversations with parents and caregivers across America, I have found guilt and shame have become pervasive, often leading them to hide their struggles, which perpetuates a vicious cycle where stress leads to guilt which leads to more stress,” Dr. Murthy writes.
The advisory states that 41% of parents say that on most days they are so stressed they cannot function and 48% say that on most days their stress is completely overwhelming compared to other adults (20% and
26%, respectively), according to data published by the American Psychological Association in November 2023.
Dr. Murthy addresses how these rises in stress levels are significantly connected to economic struggles, particularly for single parents, stating child care prices have grown by approximately 26% in the U.S., according to an Executive Order issued by the White House in April 2023.
Concurrently, the advisory states 66% of parents reporting feeling consumed by worries regarding money compared to 39% of other adults in 2023, based on the data from the APA. Further, the paper also says one-in-four U.S. parents said there have been times in the past year when they did not have enough money for basic needs (i.e., food for their family or to pay their rent or mortgage), and a similar share said they have struggled to pay for the health care and child care their family needed (24% and 20%, respectively), according to a study by the Pew Research Center published in December 2022.
Dr. Murthy also explains that social media has impacted not only kids but their parents, as there is much more to consider while raising children around a digital culture, which also influences parents to compare themselves to other parents who post online, presenting an unrealistic image.
He warns that if these issues are not properly addressed, they will have a widespread detrimental effect on parents’ and their kids’ mental and physical health, as the advisory cites a 2021 Adversity and Resilience Science study that found children of a primary caregiver who reported poor mental health were four times more likely to have poor general health (5.1% vs 1.3%) and two times more likely to have mental, behavioral, or developmental disorders (41.8% vs 21.0%). These children are also prone to cognitive, academic, and interpersonal struggles, the advisory states.
“Raising children is sacred work. It should matter to all of us. And the health and well-being of those who
are caring for our children should matter to us as well. I am hopeful this Surgeon General’s Advisory
will help catalyze and support the changes we need to ensure all parents and caregivers can thrive,” Dr. Murthy wrote in the foreword.
