Parents Under Pressure
By Marcia Tryon, LMHC
Under pressure. Under pressure. When you hear that, what pops into your head? The catchy tune of a popular song from 1981?
Turns out many parents and caregivers are feeling pressure to push down on them on a regular basis. So much so that the U.S. Surgeon General put out an Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents. The U.S. Surgeon General offers a snapshot of the stressors that parents and caregivers face on a regular basis. If you are a parent or caregiver, how much of this resonates with you?
It costs a lot of money to be a parent.
Diapers, formula, childcare, food, housing, transportation, extracurricular activities, clothing, medical expenses. For families living in economic instability, the stress is only amplified.
There aren’t enough hours in the day.
Parents need to work more to pay for everything. Many parents and caregivers might also be caring for aging parents. Time becomes consumed with bringing people to and from appointments and activities. What’s left spent trying to have quality time with the children. Never enough time to have “adult time”. That can lead to feeling lonely and isolating.
Worry about your kids’ health and safety?
Are your children struggling with physical or mental health issues? Worry about sending your kid to school? Are they being bullied? Worry that your kids will say no to drugs? Worry that your kids will be safe at school?
Social media and technology.
We spend a great deal of time talking about the impact on mental health. Parents are not immune. As parents, we know the reality of how social media works but we aren’t immune to how it makes us feel. We might end up feeling that we aren’t doing enough, that we aren’t good enough.
Add mental health challenges. The toll adds up.
Take a deep breath. Take another one.
The U.S. Surgeon General outlines what can be done to help address some of these stressors. There are things that policy makers, employers, health care systems, and researchers can do to have a positive impact on the stress levels parents face nowadays. But what can we do? If you are a family member or friend - help out in a practical way. Run an errand for someone, help with a chore, take the kids to the park for a little bit. Small things can mean a big deal to a stressed out parent.
If you are a stressed out parent, take care of yourself. Sleep, drink water, take a break from social media, find the small things that bring you joy. Try to connect with other parents. Be kind to yourself if you feel overwhelmed by trying to figure out when you are going to find the time to take care of yourself. There are people out there who see what you’re facing and looking to relieve some of pressure. Your job as a parent is hard and you are doing a wonderful job!
Get Mental Health Care
We’d love to connect you or someone you know with mental health care. To refer a child/teen/adolescent or yourself, please call (877) 992-2422 or click here to make a referral. Bradley REACH’s expert teams of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurses provide intensive mental health care and therapy to teams and families, virtually, in New England, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Florida.
DISCLAIMER:
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
If you or your child are in crisis or experiencing mental health problems please seek the advice of a licensed clinician or call 988 or Kids Link in Rhode Island.
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