U.S. Surgeon General Issues Warning on Parental Mental Health

In late August, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents, warning of the stress American parents are under and the need to support them.  

According to the advisory, 33% of parents report high levels of stress, compared to just 20% of other adults.

According to Murphy: “Parents have a profound impact on the health of our children and the health of society. 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 parents and caregivers.”