On August 21, 2024, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory warning that America’s mental health crisis is weighing heavily on parents who are struggling with economic and societal concerns as they try to raise children. Barriers parents are facing include stressors like gun violence, loneliness, a lack of support from extended family or in-person community, and having to face more job-related pressure as well as other newer stresses that prior generations didn’t have to contend with in the same way.

The advisory, titled Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, calls for expanded parental, medical, and sick leave, as well as incorporating mental well-being checks into primary care. The advisory also suggests that anyone who is a parent or filling that role prioritize stress-relievers like exercise and enough sleep, along with recreational activities.

Parents are also advised to nurture relationships with other parents, caregivers, or supportive friends, obtain insurance coverage for themselves and their families, and seek mental health care when needed.

Last year, Murthy issued a public health advisory about the harms social media poses to young people, and in June called for Congress to issue a warning label for kids on social media.

To access Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, click here.

Source: Axios

https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/parents/index.html