A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Anyone have mental illness in their family?

Posted: May 2, 2012

My daughter seems to be bipolar. I say seems because she has never gone for counseling and not officially diagnosed as such. With that being said, we do have a strong history of mental illness in our family and I know it is hereditary. My mother had major depressive disorder and was a "mess" all her life. She attempted suicide numerous times and was not there for us at all when we were young. I see these signs going on in my daughter, but maybe worse. She is manic at times and then has horrible temper tantrums and is unbearable to be around. She really drives her husband crazy and he has threatened to leave many times. The poor man gets so frustrated with her, he has to just stay away. Once I went to help her with children and for all my efforts I was just criticized as being a bad influence on her kids. She does not appreciate anything I do to help, so I simply stay away and let her sink or swim.

I am really just venting my frustration here. It is very hard having someone like that in your family, especially when they are close such as mother or daughter. sometimes I feel that I am cursed to have both my daughter and mother have mental illness. The children are suffering too and want to move away -- cannot blame them at all.

So thank you for listening to my sad story. Sorry, but this is the only place I can do this.

;

sounds exactly like my family - sympathy

[ In Reply To ..]
I know exactly how you feel. My mom was the same way, and I feel my daughter is like yours. My sisters daughter also. UGH... there is no easy way to deal with it except stay away. If they dont want help, you cant do anything. You are not alone.

Depression and bipolar run in my father's family - L&L

[ In Reply To ..]
My aunt even had ECT in the bad old days when it was horrible. I started having bipolar symptoms when I was 8. I finally got on medication but unfortunately it was too late...my daughter has not spoken to me for years. I hope your daughter gets some help; if she is bioplar, there should be some "good" times mixed with the bad and maybe she can be approached then. If I was her husband, I be slipping her meds just to make life livable.

I really appreciate your wonderful support. - Suzy Q

[ In Reply To ..]
Like you said, it is very hard to live with somebody who has bipolar, but there are "good times." That is why it is so hard because my daughter is very loving and wonderful to be with then. She says that she is stressed out with money problems and her kids are driving her crazy. Well actually she has a great job right now and her husband is working too. Sure money is tight, but then have gone through much worse in the way of finances. She always blames her stress and low moods on family issues or money problems, but I think there is something else involved -- like her mental illness. She also has OC disorder (obsessive-compulsive disorder) which makes things even worse. As I said before a very bad situation. She is very rigid in her thinking and this too drives everybody crazy. Her husband is beginning to see that something is wrong with her, but is hesitant to say anything. She has always accused him of being a "bad father and husband." He just takes this. About 15 years ago he was irresponsible and did not want to be married to her. She critizes him every chance she gets. I am wondering why he does not leave for good.

Well I got carried away with this. Did not mean to make a book here, LOL. Yes this is definitely a challenge to live with and usually tears the family apart.

Thanks again for your support. Just knowing that other people out there are going through this too helps somewhat.

My mother and her siblings and her mother - All had undiagnosed bipolar disorder

[ In Reply To ..]
Really sad. Watching them flip moods was about like flipping a lightswitch, only taking a second and seeming to come out of nowhere.

My mother's mother clearly had bipolar traits but "back in the day" people didn't talk about those things and it was just written off as being "moody" (what a gross understatement THAT is).

My mother had it all of my life. Living with her was terrifying, constantly walking on eggshells to try to avoid setting her off...Which, of course, was impossible because she would look for things to give her an excuse to get abuse, both physically and verbally. She tried to work a couple of times but could never hold onto a job because of her unfiltered mouth...and temper.

Her brother was in the military for 30 years, and was personality-wise identical to my mother. He made his wife's life a living nightmare.

My mother's sister had very similar characteristics, but of the 3 siblings, she was by far the most functional. She worked for the same place for 25 years in management with no complaints from her employees, loved to do social things such as bowling, bunko, bake sales, go to church. She had her issues...but, at least it was safe to go out in public with her without fear of her "flipping the switch" and embarrassing you to death. I actually got along quite well with her.

My mother passed VERY recently. At the end, she had about 6 weeks of her life left to try to make amends and must have apologized 1000 times. Not that an apology was necessary, but I wished I would have known about bipolar disorder much earlier in my life, rather than spend my entire childhood and a good chunk of my adult life wondering why that woman didn't love me and went out of her way to emotionally terrorize me.

We were probably on the best terms in my entire life in the few weeks before she died. I had come to accept years ago she had mental illness issues that were out of her control and didn't hold any grudges. I just wished she hadn't refused to try to get help for her obvious issues. At the end, she had run off all of her friends and had only immediate family sticking by her.

Untreated bipolar is an ugly, vicious disease that destroys everything around it.

RIP mom.

I have clinical depression... - blondie

[ In Reply To ..]
And anxiety. I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 16, and it was bad. I was not able to go to school or anything. I had the tantrums, severe lows where I wouldn't even get dressed or leave the house. I was put on Zoloft, and it turned me around bigtime. If I do not take it though, I am a mess. When I was pregnant, I had to quit taking it, and I was AWFUL. Even now, if I miss the meds for a few days, I get very moody and mean and severely depressed and have withdrawals if I don't have the meds. It is not fun at all, but as long as I keep those meds in me, I'm okay.

I thought I was bipolar, starting at age 12, - but never had the

[ In Reply To ..]
manic episodes. Two weeks a month I was satisfied and content with my life and everyone and everything in it. The other two weeks, I wanted to step in front of a train or just take the car and keep driving and leave everything behind. Those two weeks were tough on my hubby, who is a wonderful hubby and father, but he hung in there. I'm now on meds for PMDD and life is so much better for all of us.

Similar Messages:

Apr 27, 2015
My son and DIL recently went through a divorce. She has bipolar compounded by alcoholism and addictions to prescription and recreational drugs. He coped as best he could, but throughout their 6 year marriage she attempted suicide 5 times, is a cutter, and twice became wreckless with a gun to the point that authorities including a SWAT team became involved. My son is active duty AF, living on base. At one point she was banned from the base before the divorce and had to get an apartment of her own ...

Jun 26, 2011
I have to watch with much question as having been a hospital worker for so many years and also in psychiatry and then experiencing teenage years. It is all about feelings and caring...which today is missing even from our healthcare system. It is also about reality and families. So easy to judge, yet least we be judged. Teen aged years are ALL dysfunctional. What is normal really? Losing an innocent 2 year old whom you have come to love is UNexplain ...

Nov 20, 2010
My grandma's side of the family has a biannual family reunion and it's a pretty big party. Every reunion a different families "hosts" the reunion. Hosting generally means they pick a location for everyone to gather, book the facility and caterers, send out the newsletter, and contact local motels and campgrounds for special group rates, etc. Then of course their in charge of the events at the dinner like giving prizes for who traveled the farthest, the oldest, the you ...

Oct 04, 2011
My daughter is 38 and puts off going to the doctor like her Mom does. A couple of weeks ago, she went to doc because she had been bleeding in-between her periods, but also very heavy menstrual cycles, to the point of being anemic. She also was having pressure and pain in her abdomen. She was found to have a tumor/fibroid about the size of a cantaloupe in/on her uterus. She went for biopsy yesterday and they could not pass scope due to its size and pressure on other organs.&nbs ...

Dec 25, 2012
[One staple can cost as much as $400, compared to a $5 suture?] The Cleveland Clinic, long considered a premier medical system, is gaining new renown for innovation in improving the quality of care while holding down costs. In its most fundamental reform, the clinic in the past five years has created 18 “institutes” that use multidisciplinary teams to treat diseases or problems involving a particular organ system, say the heart or the brain, instead of having ...

Oct 09, 2014
Incidence is higher in locations (secret locations) where the illegals are being housed. Wait till Ebola hits Central America and there's a line to get in here. I'm afraid us Texans will be the first to be exposed. ...

Sep 09, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr1IDQ2V1eM This is very interesting especially to medical transcriptionists. ...

Aug 05, 2016
as he opened and operated a motorcycle apparel and accessories business. Robert Gingell was paid $140,000 a year by VA throughout the time he claimed he was sick or working from home. He retired in September 2015 after being caught but was subjected to no punishment or restitution. He now operates Renegade Classics Northern Virginia in Manassas, Va., part of a nationwide chain of outlets that specializes in clothing and gear that appeals to Harley-Davidson owners. Gingell was a GS-15 civil ...

Jan 25, 2011
This job can cause severe mental health problems. I've been working at home for 12 years and the isolation has taken its toll on me. That, in combination with meeting such high line counts my brain is always "racing". I think I'm done with this profession for good. Its just not worth it anymore. Be careful not to fall into the depression that comes along with this job working at home and the anxiety that eventually builds up. It is not healthy to be ...

Jan 26, 2010
I just came back from a follow up appointment. I have been getting treatment for anxiety/depression and panic attacks. I would like to share my story because I read so many posts on this forum that sound like they could have been written by me. There are so many angry posts, ppl who sound like they just hate their jobs and their lives... I had (have) been feeling horrible! tired all the time, can't sleep well, restless, can't focus on work, look horrible, don't want t ...

Nov 24, 2010
I am really having problems with mental fogginess related to menopause. I am currently on estrogen and progesterone. Does anyone have an advice on how to treat this? When it is bad, I can't concentrate to work. Thanks! ...

Apr 27, 2011
I don't even know where to begin. Right now, I am in such pain and emotional turmoil, but I know it is many times worse for my son. He has been diagnosed with autism (educational diagnosis) later changed to Asperger's, and the initial medical diagnosis was PDD-NOS with ADHD (at age 3). He is now in 9th grade and life is miserable for our whole family. I am coming to believe that he may actually have (either with the above or any combination of thi ...

Feb 22, 2017
are saying that Trump is mentally unfit to be president. ...

Jun 28, 2016
Most people today have absolutely no personal dedication to discovering what is TRUE, as opposed to what they are already predisposed to think. In fact, they are very highly defended against any facts that conflict with their view of the world. They impugn the source. They slant or distort the data - and easily find other sources that have done so, always in favor of their own positions - while ignoring contradictory evidence. They don't have the slightest idea how (or desire ...

Aug 19, 2012
He even believes his own lies. I guess that makes them true. Liar in chief Link ...

Oct 02, 2015
The gunman who carried out the deadly attack on Umpqua Community College was described Friday as a “hate-filled” individual, with anti-religion and white supremacist leanings who has long struggled with mental health issues, law enforcement sources said. Officials said Friday they had recovered 13 weapons tied to the shooter, Chris Harper Mercer, 26. Six were found at the college, seven were found during a search of his apartment -- and all were legally purchased, officials said. ...

Jun 10, 2017
Nancy, I think YOU need to get to a place where your synapses are working. ...

Nov 10, 2015
It's really quite this simple: No economic model in the history of the world has lifted more people out of poverty, and raised the standard of living of ALL economic strata, from "poor" to "rich", as the system known as capitalism. If you doubt this, either you haven't studied economic systems or the history of the revolutions that have been based on socioeconomics, or, if you haven't had that opportunity, you haven't even been paying attention to the world arou ...

Mar 15, 2017
x ...

Aug 04, 2016
He’s right on both accounts. Obama is a pathological narcissist who deeply resents the success of America. ...

Feb 03, 2012
Love. ...

Dec 24, 2010
Ok. I am not sure what I need here but maybe some opinions would be great!!! I moved against my parents wishes (about a yr ago), I am 35 y/o and took my son (13 y/o)with me. They wanted me to move to be near them after my divorce. I did not want this and wanted to take my son and make it on my own. However the problems do not end there, my parents then tried to take my son from me. I have been disowned by my mother after a strongly worded email stating if she ...

Sep 12, 2012
I recently had the misfortunate opporunity to answer the phone from one of my family. She started talking about things going on in her life and then felt the need to "dump" on me. We are of the Caucasian race and she has a child who married a different race. She proceeded to tell me (and I'm talking about almost to the point of yelling at me) how ashamed she is to belong to the race of white trash where nobody cares about anybody else but themselves. The other race i ...

Nov 24, 2009
I only just learned about this tradiotion, I guess it's a northeast thing. But I thought it was a charming little thing. Just wondered if anyone on the board did it. ...

Nov 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving to all, especially those who are working! Here's the Family Guy funny: They're doing a parody with Michael Jackson eating Frosted Mini-Wheats. In the parody, Jackson says: "The kid in me likes the frosted side but the adult in me likes the kid in me". ...

Jun 09, 2011
I would like to ask for prayer for my family. Just the highlights: Hubby has had 12 brain/head surgeries in the past 3 1/2 years and is now permanently disabled. Son's wife found out she was pregnant and moved out. Bank has foreclosed on our home of 16 years and wants us out by the 20th of June. Satan has had his hands in our business for too long. I am asking Jesus to shield us and help us to keep Satan at bay. ...

Dec 04, 2009
I've had a lesion growing on my arm since September and I took it to the doc, and it turns out is a basal cell carcinoma with elements of squamous cell, not yet biopsy proven. Now, my background here is that my mother always felt I was a hypochondriac - her favorite saying was "you have more aches and pains than any other six kids!" so I'm always confused emotionally when it comes to health issues. I don't want to be melodramatic, since, as MTs, we all know that this i ...

Nov 22, 2010
I live in a state that I hate (Montana). I was born and raised here and all my family is here. I did live in California and Arizona for a while but came back to Montana because of my family. I am now a single mom and my ex is not in our life at all. I have an amazing family who helps me out so much. But I hate living here. I hate the long, cold, awful winters. I am not a hunter, fisher, hiker so there isn't much to do here for me. I am torn ab ...

Nov 19, 2010
We have the holidays coming up and birthdays, hoping we make it as ex not paying his child support. Pray that the work will flow in and I will be able to make it through until the beginning of the year without too many problems. Tthank you so much ...

Apr 27, 2011
Hello: Just need somewhere to get this off my mind. I had it out with my youngest niece today over her not going to her GED classes. "I have a headache, I'm tired." Just all sorts of excuses. I told her that I was angry with her, that attending classes is mandatory, that I was tired of her excuses. She basically told me to F--- off and stormed to her room. Background: Niece is 18. She moved here with her mother (my sister) and my other niece in ...