U.S. Surgeon General Calls For More Support For Parents’ Mental Health
Parenting has never been easy, but in today’s fast-paced world, it has become increasingly challenging and has reached a critical point, with stress levels higher than ever before.
The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, recently highlighted these challenges in an advisory that calls for comprehensive support for parents’ mental health and how the pressures of modern parenting are creating a perfect storm of stress and anxiety.
This advisory emphasizes the need for employers, policymakers, community leaders, and the healthcare system to become more involved in creating a more supportive environment for parents.
The Mental Health Crisis Among Parents
Dr. Neha Chaudhary, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Chief Medical Officer at Modern Health, offers insight into the severity of the situation.
“To put it plainly, the stress level of parents today is through the roof, and the toughest part is that there doesn’t seem to be much respite, which I know firsthand as both a child psychiatrist who works with parents—and a parent of an infant and toddler myself,” Chaudhary says.
“Raising children has never been an easy feat, as the generations before us can attest to. But today’s hustle culture at work, the social pressure parents face to be good at it all that’s only amplified by social media, and the increasingly alarming societal pressures and stresses that are impacting the mental health of their kids is the perfect recipe for high levels of stress and poor mental health.”
This heightened stress doesn’t just affect the parents; it spills over into their children’s lives as well. “It’s like a pressure cooker: if there’s no way to let some of the pressure out of the system, it just continues to build, and sometimes it just goes off in an explosive way that spills over to their kiddos,” Dr. Chaudhary adds. The consequences of this unchecked stress are profound, leading to a cascade of issues within the family unit.
The Role of Employers and Policymakers in Alleviating Parental Stress
Employers and policymakers play a pivotal role in mitigating the stress that parents face. The Surgeon General’s advisory calls for a multifaceted approach to support parents, starting with the workplace. Dr. Chaudhary emphasizes the need for both proactive and reactive interventions that can help parents manage their stress effectively.
“To alleviate parental stress and promote well-being, we need interventions that are both proactive and keep that stress from piling up in the first place, to reactive, helping alleviate stress once it’s already present,” Dr. Chaudhary explains. She highlights several key strategies that employers can implement to support parents, including generous parental leave options, ongoing support such as lactation breaks, and proactive mental health resources tailored to the needs of parents.
One particularly effective approach is to offer self-guided mental health resources and community experiences where parents can connect with others facing similar challenges. “Employers really have an opportunity to invest in proactive support for parent and caregiver mental health, like self-guided experiences that parents can engage in that are designed for their stage of life,” she says. By building resilience upfront, employers can help parents better navigate the inevitable stresses of parenting.
However, creating a supportive workplace culture is just as important as offering these resources. Dr. Chaudhary notes that a shift in workplace culture is essential to ensure that parents feel empowered to use the benefits available to them. “What I think will really move the needle, as a psychiatrist who often works with families, is a culture shift within the workplace where these benefits are not only announced and made available, they’re celebrated, and employers encourage and allow time and space for their employees actually to use them.”
The Media’s Role in Supporting Parental Mental Health
The media also has a critical role to play in supporting parental mental health by raising awareness and providing valuable resources. Robin Hilmantel, senior director of editorial strategy and growth at What To Expect, emphasizes the importance of media platforms in amplifying the message of the Surgeon General’s advisory.
“What to Expect has covered the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory to inform our community of parents and help them feel seen,” Hilmantel shares. “The overwhelming stress and anxiety parents face is something we’ve seen in our research; we surveyed more than 3,000 women, and more than two-thirds of moms (68%) said they experience anxiety. Gen Z moms are even more likely to suffer, with 79% saying they’re dealing with anxiety.”
This data underscores the pervasive nature of parental stress, particularly among younger generations. According to Hilmantel, the role of media is not only to share information but also to provide actionable resources that parents can use to manage their mental health. “What to Expect is proud to not only share this information with parents but also to suggest resources they can utilize if they’re struggling.”
Social media has also contributed to a culture of comparison that exacerbates the stress many parents feel. According to Hilmantel, 83% of Gen Z moms report feeling pressure to be a perfect parent, a significant contributor to their anxiety. To combat this, What To Expect focuses on creating content that helps parents build support networks and connect with others who understand their struggles. “Our research shows that 76% of moms say they don’t have enough support in the form of a ‘village.’ Our community feature allows parents to hear from others who might be going through similar struggles,” Hilmantel explains.
Mobilizing for Change: The Role of Advocacy Organizations
Advocacy organizations like the Chamber of Mothers are essential in driving systemic change to support parental mental health. The Chamber of Mothers, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, is dedicated to uniting mothers as advocates to create a better America. Erin Erenberg, co-founder and executive director, highlights the organization’s efforts to mobilize mothers across the country to advocate for policy changes that directly impact parental mental health.
“We are uniting mothers as advocates to create the country we want to live in and bestow upon future generations,” Erenberg states. She emphasizes the importance of reminding mothers of their collective power, noting that 85 million mothers in the United States, who have $11 trillion in combined annual spending power, are a formidable force for change.
The Chamber of Mothers focuses on three key issues: federal paid family and medical leave, affordable, accessible quality childcare, and increased spending on maternal health. These issues were chosen because they directly address the factors contributing to increased anxiety, depression, and even maternal mortality among American mothers.
“Nearly two of three maternal deaths in the U.S. occur during the postpartum period, up to 42 days following birth,” Erenberg explains. “We know that women in the U.S. are the least likely to have support such as postpartum home visits and guaranteed paid leave during this critical time for a mother and baby.”
The organization’s advocacy efforts extend beyond online campaigns to in-person community building and legislative action. The Chamber of Mothers has established 30 chapters across the country, where mothers come together to make community action plans and advocate for change at the local level. “Our Boston community is focused on maternal mental health. Our Arizona community is focused on voter education and mobilization; our Tampa community is concerned about the connection between maternal health and reproductive freedom,” Erenberg shares.
By combining grassroots advocacy with strategic storytelling and regular engagement with legislators, the Chamber of Mothers is working to create a more supportive environment for parents at every level of society.
A Collective Responsibility
The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory is a powerful reminder that supporting parents’ mental health is not just a personal issue; it’s a societal responsibility.
As Dr. Chaudhary aptly puts it, “Mental health is a shared responsibility, and it will take all of us doing our part if we want to see a shift toward a healthier society as a whole.”
From employers and policymakers to media platforms and advocacy organizations, everyone has a role to play in alleviating the pressures on parents. By taking collective action, we can create a more supportive environment that allows parents to thrive, ultimately leading to healthier families and communities. The time to act is now, and the stakes could not be higher.
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