U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a public health advisory on Wednesday that addressed parents' mental health and well-being.
The recommendations addressed “a significant public health challenge that requires immediate state recognition and action” and discussed the various factors that contribute to parental stress and noted the urgent need for support.
“Parents have a profound impact on the health of their children and the well-being of our societies,” Murthy said in a statement released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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“But today's parents and caregivers face enormous pressures, from familiar stressors like their children's health and safety and financial worries, to new challenges like how we use technology and social media, the youth mental health crisis and an epidemic of loneliness that is hitting young people hardest,” she continued.
“As a father of two, I feel these pressures too.”
Dr. Vivek H. Murthy speaks onstage during Archewell Foundation's Parent Summit: Mental Wellness in the Digital Age at Hudson Yards in New York City on October 10, 2023. (Brian Beder/Courtesy of Getty Images, Project Healthy Minds)
In his 30-page recommendations, Murthy called for a “radical shift” to prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of parents.
“I also outline policies, programs and individual actions we can all take to support parents and caregivers,” he said.
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The advisory found that 30% of parents reported experiencing high levels of stress in the past month, compared with 20% of other adults.
Severe stress can have “detrimental effects,” Murthy wrote: 41% of parents said they feel too stressed to function most days, and 48% said their stress is “completely unmanageable” most days.
What is causing this stress?
The COVID-19 pandemic was cited as a contributing stressor for parents and caregivers, along with other stressors including financial security, health and safety concerns, managing technology and social media, parental loneliness, cultural pressures, and their children's futures.
School safety is a particular concern among parents, as firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the United States.
Financial security, health and safety concerns, managing technology and social media, and anxiety about their children's futures are some of the stressors parents experience. (iStock)
Many parents also face situations of family and community violence, poverty, racism and discrimination, all of which can impact on their mental health.
“The mental health status of both mothers and fathers has been shown to impact on children's well-being,” the recommendation noted.
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“We know that maternal mental health has a significant impact on children's well-being and environment and may be an important determinant of child outcomes.”
What can you do?
The Surgeon General said he would be “putting measures in place to reduce stress at every stage” for parents and carers.
Murthy's recommendations urged governments and employers to establish programs to ensure parents have access to affordable mental health care, paid family and sick leave and other family-friendly services.
“The mental health of both mothers and fathers has been shown to impact on children's well-being,” the recommendation states. (iStock)
The Surgeon General also encouraged schools and communities to provide support services and groups to help parents cope with stress.
Robin Hillmantel, senior director of editorial strategy and growth at Everyday Health's What to Expect, told Fox News Digital that the recommendation is “a final acknowledgement of something that's been clear for some time: parents are struggling.”
30% of American parents reported experiencing high levels of stress in the past month.
A What to Expect survey of more than 3,000 women found that more than two-thirds (68%) of moms feel anxious, with 79% of Gen Z moms reporting the same.
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“There are many reasons why being a parent today is so difficult,” said North Carolina-based Hillmantel. “Raising a child can be isolating, with 76 percent of mothers saying they don't have enough 'village' support.”
The advisory states that there is growing concern among parents about school safety. (iStock)
“There's also a culture of comparison among modern parents, with 83% of Gen Z moms saying they feel pressured to be the perfect parent,” she added.
Other major stressors for parents include safety, lack of time for themselves, finances and child development, according to the survey.
83% of Gen Z moms say they feel pressured to be the perfect parent.
“If you feel overwhelming stress, remember you're not alone — other parents are dealing with their own stressors too,” Hillmantel says.
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“What we see on social media is often a highlight reel, so no one should feel bad about their parenting based on what they see online.”
Experts suggested that parents should try to “nurture their network of friends, family and acquaintances.”
“There's no shame in asking for help directly from family and friends,” says one parenting expert. (iStock)
“Parents can add people to their community by attending face-to-face meetings where they can network with other new parents or by joining online communities where parents can openly discuss any issues they're struggling with,” she said.
“There's no shame in asking family and friends for help directly,” Hillmantel added.
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.
