KevinMD October 5, 2024
Did you hear the news from the U.S. Surgeon General recently? Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory called “Parents Under Pressure,” outlining the ways in which the 63 million-plus parents and caregivers in the U.S. are struggling—really struggling. Even as a parent who is a child psychiatrist, I was shocked by some of the data.
An analysis of parents’ responses from the 2023 Stress in America survey, conducted by the American Psychological Association, showed that 41% of parents “strongly agreed” with the statement, “Most days, I feel so stressed I cannot function,” and 48% “strongly agreed” with the statement, “Most days, my stress is completely overwhelming.” These numbers are nearly double those reported by adults who aren’t parents.
So, why...