To think my mother is mentally unstable

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

She rang me up today, totally hysterical - screaming and sobbing down the phone. Unable to catch her breath or talk for well over a minute. I thought someone must have died. Turns out she can't get her broadband to work. When she could talk she was screaming that she can't cope and can't go on.

This isn't the first time, she's done it before over totally trivial incidents as well. I've tried suggesting that she ought to go to the doctor but just ended up having a row as she can't see that her behaviour is a bit unusual to say the least.

And she has a nerve to say I have a bad temper - just because I can be "short" with her sometimes as I'm fed up with her been like this and refusing to seek help. I've sent my dh over to sort her broadband out - she hasn't even said thanks.

O FFS tell her to get a grip. I would go ott with her and tell her never to ring you again in that state over something so bloody trivial, that you thought someone had died, does she not realise that there are major catastrophes happening all over the world atm?

Does this panic stem from fear of getting old do you think?

We all have our flashpoints, but she is overreacting.

Disengage next time - do not send dh to sort out her problems. She is acting like a child, treat her like one. Say you will discuss what's bothering her when she calms down and not before.

tbh I think you're right to question her mental health. I nearly cracked up once over the daftest thing, but even at the time I knew it was the final straw following a bunch of crap.

Has she always been like this?

She sounds exactly like how my mum was when she was in the depths of anxiety and depression.

I remember once going into town with her and she chipped her tooth a little bit.
She reacted just like your mum has just done.

It was awful seeing her like that.

She needs to get some help.
Could you offer to go with her to the doctors?

I actually think this is a sign of something bigger going on. Little things can be the end of the world for me, but big stuff I can manage.

Poor woman. She obviously is very unhappy.

Message withdrawn

I know she's been through a stressful time lately because her and my dad split up 2 years ago. But she was happy about the split as she said she didn't love him. He left her because of her behaviour. She has always been like this but is getting worse.

She was round here the other day moaning about her broadband proplems and ased me to go online to look something up for her. She then told me to be careful that my laptop didn't fall off the table. Fair enough as the corner was hanging over the edge - but I told her it was fine. She then carried on saying "its not fine, its half off the table, blah, blah, blah". So I snapped at her then. FGS I am a grown woman and can make a judgement whether my laptop is ok or not. I told her she's always carrying on and never knows when to stop and she's too interfering. She had the nerve to turn to my dh and say "I don't know how you put up with her". If my dd hadn't been in the next room I think I might have exploded.

I have tried to get her to go to the GP with me. I've talked to her GP (who I know socially) - her GP agrees that she sounds depressed but says there is nothing she can do unless my mum seeks help. I will have to try talking to her again.

I feel very sorry for her.
She sounds so sad.

Even if she can speak to a GP on the phone that could set some wheels in motion.

I suffer with anxiety myself and my dh says that at time I can snap and go ott at times.

She sounds like she has a lot of problems and as her family it is your place to help her. You must get her to seek help before something awful does happen.

She sounds near to breaking point,when you're depressed every little thing's against you and hard to cope with.

I get like that when in the depths of depression.

my friend used to be like that...

when she was going thro divorce from her abusive DH, her dad was seriously ill, and her son too.....all that she could handle.

her PC got a virus and honestly, she reacted as tho the world was about to blow up!!!

all boils down to 'last straw' really......lots of big stress things people cope with, tis the tiny things that throw you over the edge.

I also do the same. when my DD3 was in and out of hospital I was fien when she was in......but woe betide DH when I came out and he had mover the toothbrushes (for EG).......end of the road would hear me screaming.

if you cannot get her to go to the docs, can you not get her to take St. Johns wort at all......if nothing else she may then calm down enough to realise that she is reacting unreasonably to incidents and then agree that docs are needed...???

good luck

She sounds on the edge of a nervous breakdown, my mother does this. She needs help but don't be surprised if she won't admit it.

I'm sure you have my mother's twin sister. I'm sure I've said that before too.

Has she always been like this? my mum gets into panics about simple things like getting lost when driving or having a bit of toothache and totally freaking that the dentist is going to cause her a load of paini, but she's always been like that and infact I am a lot like that. I realised recently that I've inherited this from her.

Maybe she is stressed in general and when these little things happen they seem so much more worse?

Agree with the others re: last-straw-syndrome.
I think she needs some help. She's managing to keep a lid on things - just - until one tiny thing goes wrong, then, boom.