The U.S. surgeon general recently issued an advisory declaring “parental stress” as a major public health concern.
That’s no surprise to Adam Borland, PsyD, psychologist for Cleveland Clinic.
He sees this issue often in his own practice.
“This is something that I think is long overdue. The recognition that this has significant consequences, that it’s more than just a parent and I’m stressed and I’m tired. This is having real effects on individuals day-to-day functioning. It’s cumulative,” said Borland.
Dr. Borland said there are many reasons a parent can feel stressed.
Maybe they’re dealing with financial issues, struggling to help their child keep their grades up, or constantly on the go with sports.
Whatever the reason, it’s important not to ignore that stress.
So, what can you do to cope?
Borland said parents need to make self-care a priority, even if it’s just doing something simple like going for a walk, taking a bath, talking with a friend, reading a book, journaling or working out.
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He said when stress builds, it can impact other parts of your life, like your mental and physical health, or relationship with your family.
“I often have individuals who come in and say I’m experiencing road rage, or I’m snapping at others, or I’m not sleeping at night because I’m scrolling on social media. And these are things that are really out of character for me. I need to take a look in the mirror and say something’s up, something’s going on here that’s fueling this. And I can continue to kind of pretend as though it’s not happening. Or, I can do the work to kind of get a sense of where is this coming?” said Borland.
He said parents also shouldn’t be afraid to ask a friend or relative for help.
It’s not a sign of weakness or a burden.
Many times, they don’t mind lending a hand, so don’t assume they will say no.