Recently, the surgeon general issued an advisory calling attention to the stress and mental health concerns facing parents and caregivers. Here is a quote Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, provided to The New York Times:
A recent study by the American Psychological Association revealed that 48 percent of parents say most days their stress is completely overwhelming, compared with 26 percent of other adults who reported the same. They are navigating traditional hardships of parenting—worrying about money and safety, struggling to get enough sleep—as well as new stressors, including omnipresent screens, a youth mental health crisis and widespread fear about the future. Stress is tougher to manage when you feel you’re on your own, which is why it’s particularly concerning that so many parents, single parents most of all, report feeling lonelier than other adults.
Parenting has always been challenging, but the ubiquitous presence of smartphones, social media, and video games for children and adults has contributed to a tidal wave of mental illness that began in the early 2010s.
Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, has published a book entitled The Anxious Generation, which has been on The New York Times Best Seller list since its publication in March of this year. The book is filled with data and charts depicting the rise of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide rates globally. The author asserts that this rise corresponds to the rise in use of smartphones and a selfie-based social media ecosystem which emerged in 2012. The world we live in is no longer a wholly “real” world where relationships and social interactions are fully embodied and synchronous; where most communications are one-on-one or one-to-several and where the bar of entry and exit is high—meaning people are motivated to invest in relationships and repair rifts when they happen. This disembodiment is hard on and potentially dangerous to our mental well-being.
A core tenet of the Family Ministry has always been about making space to normalize tough conversations, provide resources and support, and most importantly to offer community for our kids and community for parents in all stages of parenting. Over the years we have brought in many experts in the field of mental health to discuss everything from how to write a cellphone contract with your child to how to talk to someone who is considering suicide. We believe wholeheartedly that the church is the best place to have these conversations—where 2:00 AM friends exist, where community thrives, and where the teachings of Jesus show us that the Kingdom of Heaven is often countercultural and unexpected, and the power of the Holy Spirit breathes courage, stamina, and discernment into us all.
