Parents are Lonely and Burned out from Parenting Responsibilities – Here’s Why!

Parenting is full of highs and lows, it can be the most amazing experience at times, but incredibly stressful at others. And new research finds it can be really lonely, too.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center just came out with a new survey that reveals some major ways moms and dads are struggling. It finds:

• Two-thirds (66%) of parents feel lonely and isolated by the demands of parenthood.
• For 62%, the responsibilities of being a parent have them feeling burned out.
• More than a third (38%) feel like they have no one to support them in their parenting role.
• Nearly four in five (79%) would appreciate a way to connect with other parents outside of work and home.

Professor Kate Gawlik with The Ohio State University College of Nursing, and a mom of four young kids herself, points out that loneliness can affect both mental and physical health. “So anything from cardiovascular disease to depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, even your immune system can be affected when you’re lonely,” she explains. “In fact, one study showed if you are in social isolation for a prolonged amount of time, it’s equivalent to smoking about 15 cigarettes a day.”

Source: NY Post