Stock Photo | Kingofkings_LJ via Pixabay Andrew Moss
Parents are facing unprecedented levels of stress these days, and the mental health problems they experience are a “serious public health concern for our country.” That’s the message the U.S. Army Surgeon General conveyed to the nation last summer.
Today, this is the message that influences the current presidential election. Because the differences between candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will have a significant impact on how public health issues like this are handled and whether parents will be under stress in the near future. . The level will go up or down.
In announcing Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Recommendations on Parental Mental Health and Well-Being, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, Ph.D. etc.) with particular reference to the needs of (in-laws, in-laws, other relatives), those who take on the day-to-day responsibilities of raising a child up to the age of 18.
He said almost half (48%) of parents surveyed in a recent study reported experiencing “completely overwhelming” stress levels on most days, a higher number than others. of adults (26%). A slightly smaller number (41%) report that most days they are so stressed that they can’t even function.
Much of the stress is financial. Two in three parents (66%) say they are consumed by money worries, compared to 39% of non-parents who say they are obsessed with money worries. is the answer. One in four parents have experienced a period in the past year when they had difficulty covering basic expenses such as food, housing, health care, and child care. And child support alone has increased 26% over the past decade.
These challenges are great, but they are still part of the picture. Parents are concerned about their children’s safety, as gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and adolescents (ages 1-19). They worry about their children’s physical and mental health, but that concern is overshadowed by a national crisis in teen mental health, with rising rates of anxiety and depression among adolescents. It is increasing further.
Add to this combination the increased time that parents feel at work and home, and the feelings of isolation and isolation that many parents feel, and the stress and strain that characterizes the lives of so many caregivers increases. You can see the larger outline. The recommendations also address the additional pressures placed on single parents, parents living in poverty, parents facing some form of racial discrimination, and various combinations of these factors. mentioned.
In the report, the Surgeon General calls for greater support for parents and a cultural shift that recognizes the value of raising children across society. He recommends policies and other initiatives that galvanize support from a variety of stakeholders, from government leaders to educators, health professionals to employers, neighbors, and friends.
It is in this area of policy that there are sharp contrasts between Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump, a contrast that has implications for how they approach national issues such as the mental health of parents. For example, the Surgeon General has called for “ensuring parents and caregivers have access to comprehensive, affordable, and high-quality mental health care.”
Harris advocates for expanding access to health insurance, including mental health care, under both the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, the latter of which provides coverage to poor Americans. By contrast, Trump tried to overturn the ACA and replace it with various other plans in 2017, but the changes would have increased the number of uninsured Americans to 51 million.
Although he says he is no longer trying to overturn the ACA, he called for repeal as recently as a year ago and remains vague about possible alternatives or improvements. Additionally, during his presidency, he supported cuts to Medicaid that would reduce access to mental health services.
In short, while the Surgeon General is trying to move the country in one direction for the mental health of parents and children, Donald Trump appears to be trying to move the country in the opposite direction.
This reality becomes clearer when we take into account the issue of improving access to affordable housing, which is one of the Surgeon General’s policy recommendations to reduce financial stress on parents. President Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, argued that mass deportation, or “removal of illegal immigrants competing for housing,” would give Americans more access to affordable housing.
Not only is this argument false and racist, it takes on even more worrying implications when considered in the context of mental health recommendations. The Health Secretary stressed the importance of fostering a “culture of connectedness between parents to combat loneliness and isolation”. He stressed the need to “foster a culture that values, supports and empowers parents and carers.”
This effort becomes impossible when leaders use inflammatory language and narratives to demonize, dehumanize, and divide communities. As we saw with the false narrative Vance and Trump spread about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, such language can lead to violence and threats of violence. Those stories fueled violent threats and terrorized children and adults throughout the community.
Surgeon General Marcy shared his experience as a physician in a recent interview, explaining what it means to “bring people together into care teams around the patient’s interests, regardless of their differences.”
So let’s consider the challenge of bringing people together on behalf of the mental health of 63 million parents, the well-being of their children, and by extension, the well-being of the nation as a whole.
Therefore, this recommendation is worth reading, pondering, and discussing carefully—especially when the stakes in this election are so high.
And given these interests, at least one additional important step is necessary. It’s a vote.
PeaceVoice syndicated Andrew Moss writes about labor, nonviolence, and culture from Los Angeles. He is Professor Emeritus (Nonviolent Studies, English) at California State University.
