by Erica Komisar (@EricaKomisarCSW)
The mental health of mothers in the United States is in decline, driven by a variety of factors, but one stands out above all others. Certainly, the economic challenges of raising children in a household with a single income, alongside rising child care costs, are significant contributors. However, while these financial pressures can be debilitating, they are not—in my professional opinion—the primary cause.
Historically, studies haveshownthatmothersfromlowersocioeconomicbackgroundsaremorevulnerabletomentalhealthchallenges.Yet,itisnotonlymotherswithfewerresourceswhoarestruggling;motherswithmoreeconomicmeansarealsobreakingdown. Singlemothers areespeciallyvulnerable,asresearchconsistentlyshowsthatmarriedmotherstendtohavebettermentalhealthoutcomes,likelyduetogreateremotional,financial,andcaregivingsupport.Themoreplausiblecauseofthismentalhealthcrisisistherelentlesssocietalexpectation—amplifiedbyfamilies,governments,andevenmothersthemselves—thatwomenshouldbeabletodoeverything,allatonce.Raisingchildrenhasal
