The surgeon general of the United States is cautioning that fathers and mothers experience dangerously high amounts of stress, which can be detrimental to one’s mental health.
Dr. Vivek Murthy expressed his gratitude for becoming a father in a Wednesday advisory, but he also mentioned how challenging it is for him to parent both himself and other people. According to Murthy, being a father is the “toughest and most rewarding” job he has ever had.
“Children are being impacted by the stresses that parents and carers face today, both directly and indirectly affecting families and communities throughout the United States,” the speaker stated.
According to Murthy’s advise, 41% of parents claim they are so stressed out most days that they are unable to function, and 48% claim that their stress levels are far higher than those of other adults.
Murthy contended that social media, the growing youth mental health crises, and the “epidemic of loneliness” that affects both younger people and their parents are among the unique issues that parents today face in comparison to those of previous generations.
Murthy advocated earlier this year for social media to be labelled in light of its effects on young Americans’ mental health.
“I have discovered that guilt and shame are widespread among parents and carers in America. This often causes them to conceal their difficulties, which feeds a vicious cycle where stress causes guilt, which causes more stress,” he said.
Murthy maintained that community initiatives and policy improvements, such as paid time off for working to tend to a sick child, reasonably priced child care, and mental health facilities, should be used to support parents.
In order to support parents, he added, parenting conventions in society must shift.
According to Murthy, “raising a child is work, of extraordinary value when it comes to the impact on the future of society and no less valuable than the work performed in a paid job.”
According to him, cultural norms ought to encourage parents to talk more candidly about the difficulties they experience and to stand by them when such difficulties arise.
“Being a parent is holy labour.” We should all care about it, according to Murthy. “And we should also be concerned about the health and welfare of those who are raising our children.”
