World Mental Health Day: For Parents; At Work

Parenting is both joyous and stressful

Parents often say with pride that parenting is one of the best experiences in life, and indeed it is. However, many parents also admit that sometimes parenting is one of the hardest jobs, the most stressful that they’ve had to undertake.

Overlapping stressors

In conjunction with the stress of parenting or caring for one’s own aging parents, there is also the stress from the workplace. These stress factors overlap, sometimes along with many others, for several years.

US Surgeon General’s Advisory

On 28th August, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents , warning of the stressors that impact the mental health and well-being of parents and caregivers. He highlighted the critical link between parental mental health and children’s long-term well-being, and the urgent need to better support parents, caregivers, and families.

In the US, approximat ely 63 million parents live with children under the age of 18 , and millions of non-parent caregivers have primary responsibility for caring for children. When stress is severe or prolonged, it can have a deleterious effect on the carers as well as those under their care. Over the last decade, parents have been consistently more likely to report experiencing high levels of stress compared to other adults. In 2023, among parents,

• 33% reported high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults.
• 41% 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 (20% and 26%, respectively).

Parents and caregivers experience a multitude of unique stressors from raising children which include, but are not limited to:

• Financial strain, economic instability, and poverty
• Time demands
• Children’s health
• Children’s safety
• Parental isolation and loneliness
• Technology and social media
• Cultural pressures and worries about children’s futures.

The work of parenting, Murthy wrote, is critical for the health of children as it is for the health of society.  Consequently, the well-being of parents and caregivers is directly linked to the well-being of their children. “The stresses parents and caregivers have today are being passed to children in direct and indirect ways, impacting families and communities across America.”

Toxic workplace situations

Recently, the tragic death of an Indian employee at a multinational consulting firm allegedly due to work stress brought into sharp focus the toxic work culture that exists in many corporations across industries, globally. In the United States,

• 76% of U.S. workers reported at least one symptom of a mental health condition .
• 84% of respondents said their workplace conditions had contributed to at least one mental health challenge.
• 81% of workers reported that they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health in the future.

Mental Health at Work

On World Mental Health Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO), along with its partner, the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), called for a focus on mental health at work to promote safe and healthy working environments for all. According to the WHO, unhealthy work conditions like racism and discrimination, harassment, overwork, and poor working conditions, among others can significantly impact mental health, and consequently participation or productivity at work. “With 60% of the global population in work, urgent action is needed to ensure work prevents risks to mental health and protects and supports mental health at work,” it said.

Additional stressors

For those juggling work and caregiving – whether for children or elderly parents of their own – these situations are additional stressors. Additionally, circumstances like family or community violence, poverty , racism, and discrimination , among others, increase the risk for mental health conditions. Mental health conditions experienced by parents and caregivers can also manifest differently based on the gender of the parent and the family structure, among other factors.

What can be done to improve mental health conditions in the workplace?

It is essential for governments, employers, the organizations that represent workers and employers, and other stakeholders responsible for workers’ health and safety to work together to improve mental health at work. The Framework on Workplace Well-Being by the US Surgeon General’s Office talks about actionable strategies, “with the involvement of workers, their representatives, and persons with lived experience of mental health conditions.”

Parents need self-care too

Parents need self-care as much as the care they provide to their children. However, as India Currents columnist Geetha Narayanan, LMFT, says, “For first-generation Indian immigrants raised in a culture of collectivism, self-care doesn’t come naturally .” But it is imperative.

Here are some strategies for self-care from the US Surgeon General’s Office:

1. Remember, caring for yourself is a key part of how you care for your family.
2. Nurture connections with other parents and caregivers.
3. Explore opportunities to secure comprehensive insurance coverage for yourself and your family.
4. Empower yourself with information about mental health care.
5. Recognize how mental health challenges manifest and seek help when needed.

To conclude, the practice of mindfulness, and self-care can alleviate stress and mental health problems for people in many situations. But recognition comes first.

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