{"id":4788,"date":"2023-03-06T16:00:18","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T16:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.alison.com\/?p=4788"},"modified":"2023-03-06T16:00:18","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T16:00:18","slug":"mental-health-for-parents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/mental-health-for-parents","title":{"rendered":"Mental Health for Parents"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being a parent is both a pleasure and if we\u2019re honest, exhausting at times. There\u2019s the unspeakable joy in watching your heart beat outside your chest as your children grow and develop their unique personalities. On the other hand, there\u2019s also the pressure to create a happy and happy home. If you\u2019re working outside the home, there\u2019s the added pressure of work, looking after your aging parent, and a host of tasks and responsibilities on your to-do list. You\u2019re always putting the needs of others before your own. But this can be detrimental to your mental health and overall well-being. Here are a few things you can do to prioritise your mental health as a parent.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Understanding mental health<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/mental-health-strengthening-our-response\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">World Health Organization,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> mental health is \u201ca state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community\u201d. Mental health is a basic human right and it underpins an individual\u2019s well-being, and ability to make decisions and build strong and healthy relationships. Each person experiences mental health differently and in varying degrees with different outcomes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moms, dads, and carers shoulder a lot of responsibility. A lack of support or inability to manage the stresses of being a parent can make an individual experience mental health issues and a lower sense of well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Factors affecting parental mental health<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is not one cause attributed to causing<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/alison.com\/course\/mental-health-studies-understanding-behaviour-burnout-and-depression-revised?utm_source=alison-blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog-course-marketing\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mental health issues<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Each person responds to situations and circumstances differently but there are some overarching issues that affect parental mental health. These and many other factors contribute to poor mental health in parents.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The residual effects of the covid-19 lockdown<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ill health of family members (aging parents, siblings, children)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work pressure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Financial instability or loss of income<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being unable to work<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relational challenges<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Putting others first at the expense of their own needs and well-being<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Impact on parents\u2019 mental health<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/alison.com\/course\/advanced-parenting-skills?utm_source=alison-blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog-course-marketing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parenting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> requires a lot of time and sacrifice. It comes with its fair of challenges that have an impact not on their mental well-being, but that of their children and families. In certain cases, parents who struggle with their mental health can experience difficulties in looking after the physical and emotional well-being of their child\/ren.\u00a0 In extreme cases, this can be a prolonged period.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Juggling balls<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An interesting concept about how to balance work and family life. We are all juggling balls in the air. Some of these balls are plastic (and will bounce back when dropped). Other balls are made of glass (and will break if dropped). What you need to do is decide which of the balls you\u2019re juggling are plastic and which are made of glass. If you drop a plastic ball (cleaning the house), it\u2019s okay. You can tackle the pile of dishes in the sink tomorrow. If you drop <a href=\"https:\/\/alison.com\/course\/how-to-declutter-your-mind-with-selfcare?utm_source=alison-blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog-course-marketing\">self-care<\/a> (making time for your mental health), the consequences can be detrimental. Decide what\u2019s most important and take care of that first.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Tips to improve your mental health<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An often not spoken fact about mental health is the importance of putting a spotlight on it \u2013 talking about it and your personal challenges. And seeking help. Here are a few other helpful steps you can take to improve your mental health.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 <strong>\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><strong>Talk<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a parent, we want to be strong for our children. We tend to hide negative emotions and put on a perfect exterior. We do this with the hope that we\u2019re protecting our child\/ren, but instead, it often ends up with children not being about to communicate freely when they experience negative emotions or sentiments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What you should do instead is be honest and open about your feelings so that you can explain to your children it\u2019s normal to have such emotions and why they may be feeling low.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Added to that, you should also talk to your partner, friends, family member, or therapist. Talk therapy releases bottled emotions, provides you with a safe space to share your feelings, and gives you tools to help you work through your emotions.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><strong>Create a support network<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of times, we as parents live under the impression that we can do it alone. We are superheroes who want to do it all. The truth is, no man is an island, and we were not designed to do this life thing alone. We need support.\u00a0 It\u2019s important to have a strong and reliable support network that you can call on. These are the people who can give you the practical and emotional support you need when the load gets too heavy, and you feel overwhelmed.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><strong>Get physical<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting physical doesn\u2019t mean you should spend hours in the gym. This can be as simple as making time every day to take a 30-minute walk outside (take the kids along if you can). Go outside. Take in nature. Breathe in the fresh air. And for that set time, you are away from the noise of things that need to get done and you can clear your head. Other activities to consider are swimming, jogging, taking a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/alison.com\/course\/yoga-exercises-revised?utm_source=alison-blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog-course-marketing\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">yoga<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/alison.com\/course\/7-day-pilates-challenge-15-minute-workouts?utm_source=alison-blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog-course-marketing\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pilates<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> class, or even dancing. Whatever you choose to do, get your body moving and your happy hormones running through your bloodstream.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><strong>Pursue your passions<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As parents, we often feel guilty about making time to do things that make us happy. When we have children, we put our dreams and passions to the side and focus all our attention on the kids and family. No matter how old you get, or how busy life is, we must be intentional about pursuing our passions and doing things that make us feel alive and bring us joy. Pursuing your passions, albeit not always to the same degree as before you had children, is an outlet. These help you not lose sight of yourself and your dreams (these may have just changed). Spending time on your passion will not only make you feel good about yourself, but it will be an example to your children that self-care is an important part of parenthood, and of course. Finally, the joy this brings you will improve your mental health.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Final thoughts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This list is by no means exhaustive. It\u2019s important to remember as a parent that no two homes are alike. We are all different. With different needs, challenges, skills, commitments, and family structures. What works for one person\u2019s family won\u2019t necessarily work for yours. Therefore, it\u2019s important to look at your setup and make changes that will suit you and your family. It\u2019s also important to remember that no matter what it looks like on the outside, no family is perfect.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get organised.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn a new skill or <a href=\"https:\/\/alison.com\/course\/soap-making-masterclass?utm_source=alison-blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog-course-marketing\">take up a new hobby<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn to say \u201cno\u201d. (It\u2019s a full sentence).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed, measure your mental health and well-being today on our free mental health check-up assessment to live a happier, healthier, and more productive life tomorrow!<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alison.com\/psychometric-test\/wellbeing?utm_source=alison-blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog-mental-checkup\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4398 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.alison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Wellbeing-Checkup_Blog_CTA-300x53.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"53\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Wellbeing-Checkup_Blog_CTA-300x53.png 300w, https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Wellbeing-Checkup_Blog_CTA.png 423w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As it\u2019s often said, \u201cyou can\u2019t pour from an empty cup\u201d. It\u2019s just as important for you as a parent to invest in your mental health.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Being a parent is both a pleasure and if we\u2019re honest, exhausting at times. There\u2019s the unspeakable joy in watching your heart beat outside your chest as your children grow and develop their unique personalities. On the other hand, there\u2019s also the pressure to create a happy and happy home. If you\u2019re working outside the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":4789,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[236],"class_list":["post-4788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alison-in-action","tag-mental-health","match-height"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Blog_header_International_Parental_Mental_Health_Week.png","featured_category":"Alison in Action","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4788"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4788\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4791,"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4788\/revisions\/4791"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}