When pediatric anxiety meets parental burnout: The hidden mental health crisis
When pediatric anxiety meets parental burnout: The hidden mental health crisis
Parents today are navigating an unprecedented wave of pediatric anxiety. Nearly 1 in 3 young people will experience an anxiety disorder by the age of 18, yet most won’t receive treatment. In the absence of effective support, the emotional toll often lands squarely on parents. As a child’s anxiety rises, so can parental burnout, which can create a cycle that affects entire families, workplaces, and communities. InStride Health addresses the gap in mental health care for children and the impact it has on parents.
Why kids aren’t getting the care they need
The gap in pediatric mental health care is driven by several factors. Many families face long waitlists, high costs, and/or a lack of specialists in their area. For some, stigma or logistical challenges create additional barriers. Others are unsure of when anxiety has crossed from a normal part of development to a disorder that needs treatment.
Nationally, research suggests that approximately 3 in 5 children and adolescents with anxiety do not receive the treatment they need, and those who do can experience extended delays before accessing effective care. The result is that millions of children who need support never get it, leaving parents to fill the gap on their own.
The invisible strain and its ripple effects
Parenting a child with anxiety or OCD can feel overwhelming. Parents juggle therapy appointments, school meetings, and the daily emotional labor of helping their child manage fear and uncertainty. Over time, exhaustion sets in. Many find themselves changing routines, offering repeated reassurance, and avoiding situations that might trigger distress, behaviors known as “family accommodation.” Data from InStride Health found that 99% of caregivers surveyed have engaged in some form of family accommodation. Though well-intentioned, family accommodation can inadvertently reinforce a child’s anxiety or OCD in the long term.
Caregiver strain is common in families of youth with anxiety and OCD, and left unaddressed, that strain can lead to caregiver burnout. Nationally, caregiving, including among parents of youth with anxiety, contributes to lost productivity, absenteeism, and emotional depletion, costing U.S. employers an estimated $44 billion each year, according to a report by Guardian, a national insurance provider. Missed work can be a key contributor to strain among caregivers of youth with untreated anxiety or OCD.
The good news is that treatment works — and parents can play a key role in making it work
While the numbers paint a sobering picture, there is reason for hope. Research shows that evidence-based treatment, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP), can significantly reduce child symptoms and is associated with reductions in caregiver strain. InStride data have shown that 93% of caregivers reported reductions in missed work or neglecting duties, and 87% reported reduced interruption of personal time following treatment.
In-care programs that involve parents as active participants in treatment and support reducing family accommodations, caregivers also report meaningful reductions in overall strain. Virtual or hybrid models of care have also made participation more feasible, allowing families to access treatment without major disruption to school or work.
A shared path to recovery
The pediatric mental health crisis is also a caregiver mental health crisis. Parents’ exhaustion speaks not to weakness, but to the depth of their care and to a system that too often asks them to carry too much on their own. The path forward lies in supporting both sides of the equation. When parents receive evidence-based support along with their children, healing accelerates for everyone.
This story was produced by InStride Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
