SURGEON GENERAL DECLARES PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY AMONG PARENTS: 'COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED'

Matt Case - August 28th, 2024 - 8:51am PDT 

US Surgeon General Declares Public Health Emergency Among Parents

WASHINGTON DC  — America's top doctor has declared a public health emergency among parents, citing dangerous levels of stress and loneliness that may be impacting both parents and their children.

In a new report, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy pointed to research from the American Psychological Association indicating that nearly half of parents experience overwhelming stress most days, compared to just 26 percent of other adults. The report also found that parents are significantly lonelier, with around two-thirds of parents reporting feelings of loneliness, compared to 55 percent of adults without children.

“With this Advisory, I am calling for a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents,” Dr. Murthy said. “I am also outlining policies, programs, and individual actions we can all take to support parents and caregivers.”

Among his recommendations, Dr. Murthy called for increased funding for national paid family and medical leave, guaranteed sick time for workers, and expanded access to affordable mental health care.

“Parents have a profound impact on the health of our children and the health of society,” Dr. Murthy added. “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... [and] an epidemic of loneliness that has hit young people the hardest.”

The report highlights that the mental health of parents not only affects their well-being but also has a direct impact on their children’s mental health.

Speaking to Reuters, Dr. Murthy emphasized, “Behind this youth mental health crisis is a real crisis with parents, where many of them are struggling with profound stress and with their own mental health challenges. If you really want to help kids, one of the things you've got to do is actually help parents.”