Photo: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has released a new report that shows raising kids can negatively impact parents' mental health and well-being.
The report, titled "Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents," said that over the last 10 years, parents are more likely to experience high stress levels than other adults.
"When stress is severe or prolonged, it can have a deleterious effect; 41% of parents say that most days they are so stressed they cannot function and 48% say that most days their stress is completely overwhelming compared to other adults," the report said.
"I think it was yesterday I said, 'I think I'm going to have a heart attack,'" one local father with17-year-old twins told WBZ NewsRadio.
Another father said he has a hard time keeping up with his kids. "One plays football, one plays lacrosse, one's into wrestling," he said.
The report said some of the stressors parents face include "financial strain and economic instability, time demands, concerns over children's health and safety, parental isolation and loneliness, difficulty managing technology and social media, and cultural pressures."
In turn, the children of parents who report high levels of stress are more likely to face depression and anxiety symptoms.
The reports said more support needs to be provided to parents and caregivers of children, such as policy and cultural changes and expanded community programs.
"First, it's time to value and respect time spent parenting on par with time spent working at a paying job, recognizing the critical importance to society of raising children," the report said.
WBZ News Radio's (@CFamaWBZ) Chris Fama reports.
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