Dr. Murthy is hoping to implement new policies and strategies that prioritize mental health

While there has been no shortage of announcements and research done on childrens mental health struggles, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is now calling attention to parents mental health.

In a recently released advisory, Murthy is emphasizing the importance of mental health support for parents and caregivers across the country.

Parents have a profound impact on the health of our children and the health of society, Murthy said. Yet parents and caregivers today face tremendous pressures, from familiar stressors such as worrying about their kids health and safety and financial concerns, to new challenges like navigating technology and social media, a youth mental health crisis, an epidemic of loneliness that has hit young people the hardest.

As a father of two kids, I feel these pressures too. With this advisory, I am calling for a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents. I am also outlining policies, programs, and individual actions we can all take to support caregivers.

Parental stress is increasing

As part of the advisory, Murthy addressed the findings from a recent study by the American Psychological Association that explored adults stress levels across the country.

The biggest takeaway from the study: parents and caregivers are more stressed than adults without children both overall and in specific areas.

Some of the findings include:

• 66% of parents were consumed by money worries; 39% of childless adults reported the same

• 57% of parents were embarrassed talking about finances with others; 39% of childlessadults reported the same

• 62% of parents feel that no one understands how stressed they are; 42% of childlessadults reported the same

• 60% of parents say that stress makes it hard for them to focus; 37% of childlessadults reported the same

• 50% of parents say they cant bring themselves to do anything when theyre stressed; 28% of childlessadults reported the same

Whats the solution?

To address this growing issue, Murthy has several recommendations to strengthen the available support networks for parents across the country.

Some of these solutions include:

• Increased financial support for families, including tax credits

• Paid time off for both parents during the birth of a child or when a child is sick

• Safe, affordable child care

• Access to mental health care

• Safe and affordable programs for before and after school

• Predictable work schedules for parents

• Safe playgrounds, libraries, and communities for children to play and learn and for parents to build community

Given the responsibility it entails, raising children is never going to be without worry, Murthy wrote in aNew York Timeseditorial.But reorienting our priorities in order to give parents and caregivers the support they need would do a lot to ensure the balance skews toward joy.

Hear more from the surgeon generalhere: