Family mental health crisis: Parental depression, anxiety during COVID-19 will affect kids too

For most parents to claim that the COVID-19 epidemic has been challenging would be an extreme understatement. The pressure of financial burden reduced child care, and health-related concerns are extremely difficult for families. Mental health issues are predicted to increase significantly as a result of the result caused by COVID-19 and the measures taken to stop the disease.

The long-term effects that could be averted for children of increased stress from parents, depression, and anxiety are just becoming apparent. But, research from the past tells us that children exposed to these issues have a higher chance of developing mental health issues, a higher likelihood of behavior and learning issues, and diminished income mobility throughout their lives.

We must develop an approach that supports parents today and safeguards children’s future.

The anxiety of parents is increasing, and depression.

Our current research studies we have found we have found that moms who are pregnant and mothers with children in the early years have a three to fivefold increase in self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms. An illness history, current domestic conflicts, and financial stress were linked to poorer mental health across a variety of age groups for children. These numbers are particularly worrying because children are highly vulnerable to maternal mental illness due to their dependence on their caregivers to provide essential health and safety requirements.

The high rates of mental illness and children being more at home due to COVID-19 pose numerous risk factors, including modifications to children’s stress system function and higher rates of physical health issues and cognitive declines.

Parenting stress associated with mental illness can lead to negative interactions, including harsh discipline and being less responsive to children’s needs. For parents, depression contributes to health problems and low quality of life. Suicide is a leading cause of death for women of child-bearing age that we expect to increase should high mental health problems remain unaddressed.

The mental health system needs urgent improvement.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other child welfare leaders have highlighted the importance of prioritizing mental health care so parents can develop their capacities to meet their children’s needs for health and development.

In the case of parents with mental illnesses, addressing them can not only reduce negative impacts on children’s health but also builds children’s abilities to deal with other stressors, including school changes and different unpredictable situations.

Effective treatment options exist for parents with a mental illness, but the barriers to accessing the standard treatment are now even more significant in COVID-19. Barriers that exist, such as the costs of psychotherapy and the demands for childcare, have increased by physical isolation and the closing of services, daycares, and schools.

The transition to evidence-based treatment online formats has been slow. It requires significant investment for large-scale delivery and the refinement of programs to meet the current demands. Another issue is that many current telehealth programs do not address both parents with mental illness and the risk to parenting, despite the overwhelming evidence supporting the importance of taking care of both.

In addition, parents’ mental illness is most prevalent among communities that are racialized and face oppression and racism. The inability to address parental and mental health needs at the level of the entire population and in response to community-specific issues will only perpetuate health disparities across generations like those faced in the lives of Indigenous or Black Canadians.

Small steps that can be helpful

While many of the causes of parents’ debilitating mental health are beyond us, there are some small actions you can take right now:

Be sure that your emotions have a reason. It is a time of stress, anxiety, sadness, and stress. Many of us are experiencing these emotions and wondering what’s to come in the next few days. Numerous parents struggle to figure out how to take care of themselves and their families.

Be honest about your emotions. Talking about your feelings with your friends, supportive partners, family members, and professionals can prove beneficial. Thinking about and solving problems together can help ease anxiety and boost mood. Sharing your thoughts can help normalize the fact that you’re putting in the work but still feeling problematic.

Practice self-compassion. We are often kind to those around us but are rude or oblivious to our suffering. It’s crucial to put your needs first, health and self-care. If you’re suffering from depression, anxiety, or stress, Talk to and treat yourself like you would a friend. Most people aren’t uncomfortable treating themselves with compassion, but there are options to help develop self-compassion.

Find professional help. If you’re experiencing persistent thoughts of self-harm or despair or a rise in the use of alcohol or other substances that is hard to control, don’t wait to seek help if your mood decline or anxiety is affecting your performance, whether at home with your friends and at work, for two days or even longer, seeking out additional assistance to overcome your issues could be essential in achieving the level you’d like to be.

Urgent action is required on the most critical risk factors.

It is imperative to take immediate action to address the most critical risk factors that affect families, communities, and policy levels.

It is time to begin the development of a nationwide family and perinatal mental health strategy. The early intervention investment is expected to bring economic and health benefits by keeping the long-term ramifications of mental illness among parents from affecting the children’s behavioral and biological development.

Ensuring that families have healthy mental health and support for parents now and on multiple fronts before issues become more severe will pay huge dividends. This is one area that governments should be able to prioritize in the COVID-19 response to the pandemic.