Modern parenting has become so stressful that on Wednesday, Vivek Murthy felt compelled to issue the health advisory on the mental health and well-being of parents. In the advisory, he said his conversations with parents has revealed that "guilt and shame have become pervasive", often leading these caregivers to hide their mental health struggles, perpetuating "a vicious cycle where stress leads to guilt which leads to more stress".
According to the advisory, over the past decade, parents have been consistently more likely to report experiencing high levels of stress compared to other adults. It cited a 2023 survey of adults from the American Psychological Association that found 33% of parents of children under 18 rated their stress as high (8, 9, or 10 on a 10-point scale where 10 is a great deal of stress) compared with just 20% of the rest of the population. Roughly 41% of parents say that most days, they are so stressed, they can't function. Around 48% say that most days, their stress is completely overwhelming compared to 26% among other adults.
In addition to the traditional challenges of parenting – like protecting children from harm and worrying about finances – there are new stressors that previous generations didn't have to consider and these include include social media, the youth mental health crisis, and increased financial strain as the cost of some necessities, like child care, have spiraled.
The advisory notes that nearly 70% of parents say parenting is now more difficult than it was 20 years ago, with children's use of technology and social media as the top two reasons why. Parents report being worried about how their children's use of social media could lead to other issues, like depression or anxiety, bullying and lower self-esteem.
The advisory states that, "Parental mental health conditions can have far-reaching and profound implications for children, families as a whole, and for society, including increased health care costs and reduced economic productivity".
At the same time, a “culture of comparison” – often perpetuated online – around milestones, parenting and achievements, “has left many families feeling exhausted, burned out, and perpetually behind”, Murthy wrote in the 36-page advisory.
In fact, in 2019, the World Health Organization recognized burnout syndrome in their International Classification of Diseases as an occupational condition linked to health symptoms, such as fatigue, changing sleep habits, and substance use and characterized by energy depletion, mental distance, or cynicism related to one’s job and reduced efficacy. While WHO references this specifically in the occupational context, for many, parenting is a primary occupation and for all parents, the role comes with significant expectations and demands, much like paid occupations.
Surgeon general’s advisories are public statements to draw attention to public health issues that require awareness and action. Murthy has issued advisories in the past about health misinformation and gun violence, but also on mental health topics such as loneliness and isolation and the effects of social media on youth.
The Malaysian pair lost 21-12, 21-11 to South Korea's world No. 20 Jeong Na Eun-Kim Hye Jeong in 44 minutes.
Despite the defeat, Pearly-Thinaah can still be proud of their stunning run in Seoul – the best in a Super 500 tournament this year. For the record, their last title win was at the French Open in 2022.
And on to squash.
Asian squash champion Sivasangari Subramaniam cruised into the third round at the season-opening Egyptian Open on Saturday.
World No. 9 Sivasangari overcame a one-game deficit to defeat veteran Joelle King of New Zealand 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10 in 40 minutes in the second round.
The London Classic champion, who received a bye in the first round, will face world No. 17 Nada Abbas of Egypt for a place in the quarter-finals today.
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