Mothers of young children everywhere appear to be taking some sort of medication. Let's see a show of hands for all the Zoloft, Prozac, and Celexa ladies in the house. MEEEE!! Ok, now, why do we need studies like this one, that shockingly state the stressed-out moms, especially those without sufficient supports are at high risk for mental health problems?
Perhaps because there is still a stigma associated with being a Mom and not being blissful? Hard to believe in a day and age with the tell-all momoir and culture confession that this is still the case, but I believe it is an intractable believe deeply held that if you are depressed, or unhappy, or restless, you are not a very good mama.
Not surprisingly, supports like high quality affordable childcare, sufficient time with one's kids, and emotional support play a crucial role on a parent's mental health. Thankfully, we have organizations like MomsRising trying to improve societal supports for moms and families.
