A new study published by Barnardos Ireland details the prevalence of mental ill health amongst parents and the impact that it is having on their children.
According to the research, 20% of parents say that they are currently experiencing poor mental health, while almost a quarter (23%) report feeling anxious most of the time. One in five (19%) feels overwhelmed most of the time and 31% are exhausted or burned out with the same regularity.
Almost half (48%) of those polled say that their poor mental health is having a moderately negative impact on their children. Worryingly, 12% think that these conditions are having a considerable negative impact on their children and 33% say that they are affecting family dynamics, straining family relationships and increasing conflicts within the home.
Respondents were afraid that mental health issues could affect their ability to parent effectively and positively. They identified things like struggling with day-to-day family tasks (18%), limited patience and tolerance (26%), and emotional detachment (36%).
The report’s findings demonstrate that a substantial number of parents are experiencing mental health challenges, a significant proportion of whom are seeing their parenting impaired as a result.
Fortunately, assistance is available. The Community Wellbeing hub is home to a number of resources designed to help people deal with relationship issues. It also features useful information relating to family support.
In addition, Inspire’s Advocacy for All service is an excellent first step to getting the right support at the right time.