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Mental health

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Where do I go from here? What do I do?

10 replies

calebsmummy · 19/09/2006 07:31

I'm sorry this will be a long one (children willing)

I came off Prozac around 4 weeks ago and actually have been doing really well an still would be, only suddenly everyone is piling the pressure on again.

First of all, a trivial one, the children ahve started waking v. early again after being pretty good for a while, so the tiredness doesn't help.

Secondly, my sister and BIL are having troubles again and who do they both call...me. Now I am more than happy to help them out, but recently my BIL has been calling to tell me all about why my sister is how she is which is mainly to do with things from our childhood. Our parents were pretty rubbish, had 6 children, who they couldn't afford and couldn't give the time to. As the eldest girl, I was the 2nd mother as my mother just wasn't up to it. To be honest, we had a pretty horrible childhood. We weren't neglected as such, but we weren't cared for very well. It got better (I think) when I left home, for the younger ones, it seems the less children my mum had around the better.. oh i don't know, I am rambling.

Anyway, at around 11 years of age, my grandfather started to sexually abuse me, up until I was 16. Then at 23, my cousin (who is 5 yrs younger, as is my sister) made a statement to the police saying that he had abused her and then my sister said he had done it to her too. Long story, but he was convicted of some of the things he had done to me and subsequently hung himself.

At 20 I had our first baby, but he was still born at 30 weeks. Toatlly destroyed me, still hurts dreadfully nearly 14 years on.

DH's father also hung himself last year. A wonederful, wonderful man, but he had battled with depression and was Bi Polar for most of his adult life. Understandably, it has been a tough old year for us all, not least DH, but he doesn't talk about it.

Well, I say that, he just comes out with snippets, like the night before last. He drank loads (seems to be becoming a habit) flopped into bedwaking me, so asked him what was wrong. He said 'nothing, go to sleep' which of course I couldn't, so i got up. He followed, telling me to come to bed, when all wanted was a few minutes alone (rare with 3 children, 2 v.small and a husband who works away all week), but it was clear he wan't going to bed until I did, so I did. I asked him again and he pretty much shouted in my face ' What if he didn't mean to do it? What if he changed his mind! What if he grabbed the rope at the last minute!'

Obviously I don't have the answers to this, I do know that someone who is going to commit suicide, they will be determined to. DFIL was very ill at the time (the 7/7 bombings set off his depression at the the time) and either couldn't bear to go on, or wasn't thinking about what he was doing. But saying this to DH the other night wans't the right time to do so. I held him, but flet i didn't know what else to do.

Yesterday morning, he pretty much blanked me before going to work. I texted him and apologised (for what I don't know. For getting a bit cross that he was up on his PC while I had 2 whinging children harrassing me while cooking dinner..afre he had spent the weekend playing with motorbikes with his friend) but I didn't recieve a reply.

Then ;ast night he called the house phone at 12.30 waking me, so I called him back. He was totally drunk and didn't make a lot of sense but told me he was calling so I wouldn't worry.

Now he had an affair for 6 months which finished 2 years ago, so I gather he was calling to say not to worry he was alone!!!???!! I don't know. Soooo, there was me awake most of the night, boys up at 5.30.

OK, yes I do have my moments of weakness, hoping and praying he isn't doing anything untoward, but isn't that normal? Not many moments now, I must say, but it is still lingering. Understandably I think. But this wasn't an issue at all this week.

He has just called to apologise for missing my call. He called here, I called him back, but he doesn't remember which scares me. He has a really good career, is a clever man, normally is a pretty compassionate, considerate man, but I'm struggling now, really struggling.

I don't know what to do. I have to cope on my own with 3 boys all week, which normally apart form the tiredness isn't a problem. I do most stuff at the weekend, while he does what he wants to do, ie this weekend he is off to a Martial arts course for the weekend and then he is off bike racing Monday/Tuesday. I haven't complained about these things at all and most of the time don't want to. He does work very hard to provide for us.

I can't tlak to my RL friends about this (although I do know some of you are reading this and for that I am sorry) I just don't waht to offload onto everyone. I have avery good RL friend who is what I call my voice of reason and who is also a long term friend of DH, but she is 2 hours away.

I'm scared.

Sorry for the ramble, n=but it does help to get it all otu.

OP posts:
calebsmummy · 19/09/2006 07:37

I should add that since my BIL has resurrected all the demons from jmy past, I am often having dreams/nightmares about everything now, which doesn't help with the tiredness factor either.

AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

OP posts:
comebacksummer · 19/09/2006 07:48

Oh you poor thing.. sounds like you have far too much to cope with at the moment. Would it be worth trying to see a counsellor about all the issues your BIL has brought back to the fore? It might help you to put that to rest first before trying to tackle your issues with your dh...? {{hugs}}

calebsmummy · 19/09/2006 07:58

HI comebacksummer. Yes I should see a counseller, but I honestly don't get 2 minutes on my own at the moment. DH works away a lot and family don't live near us. Maybe there is such a thing as an onlibe counsellor?

OP posts:
comebacksummer · 19/09/2006 08:03

I have no idea.. anyone????
I'm sure if you got to your doctor he'll be able to recommend some route you can go down? You must do something to help yourself.. is your dh there at night? maybe there's an evening group you could go to in your area?

calebsmummy · 19/09/2006 09:04

I do everything to help myself, have done for years. I think I am one of the strongest people I know as considering I have been through so much, I haven't totally lost it yet (came close when we lost DS... came very very close)

I feel a huge responsibility to our boys and would never compromise their happiness (we go to great lengths to make sure they are protected from evrything)

DH works away from home all week, he isn't here in the evenings. I don't have family nearby and as we only moved here a year ago, while I have some wonderful freinds here, I don't feel I can ask them to have my children while I pour my heart out, then come back with it all on my mind and thus them feeling a responsibility to help me more. Thats not fair on them. And I actually don't particularly want to go on and on about my problems to them. Like I say, I have very close friends who could do this, if they lived nearer.

I am constantly 'helping' myself. I made sure I made lots of friends when we moved here as I need to have friends (not to lean on, just to be freinds iyswim) I went to the doctors last year after my FIL passed away as I knew it was the only way to help my family through the pain they were feeling and had to be strong myself. I try very hard to rationalise everything that happens and try not to make a big deal of things because I don't think dwelling on things all of the time helps much.

Even feeling like I do this week, I haven't locked myself away, I still see freinds, take the boys out etc etc. I feel like shutting the world out, but I know that will make me feel worse.

I just need help with how to help DH through this. I still miss DFIL so much and find it difficult to go to their home, but I do, but I also kind of understand why it happened. DH can't get past the fact that he did it. Has guilt, but no reason to feel guilty and has also lost his dear dear father in a very tragic way and I don't know how to help him. I love him very very much (I must do if I am still with him) and I don't want him to hurt like this or to block it out with alcohol.

OP posts:
mell2 · 19/09/2006 10:11

oh calebsmummy, you have so much on your plate. I really feel for you. I think you are taking too much on and you feel you have responsibility for everything. Not sure if you will be able to help dh unless he decides he needs help and goes to gp. Likewise with your sister. It is really hard but you are bringing up 3 boys (virtually on your own during the week) and i think that is enough for anyone.

Take care of yourself and i do hope you get some counselling and also your dh.x

divastrop · 19/09/2006 20:27

do you have anything like sure start where u live?i had councelling through them and they could arrange for a nursery place for my ds at the time.if u still have contact with a health visitor maybe she would know more about whats available?
it sounds like ur taking responsibility for ur dh even though hes a grown man and u have 3 children ur responsible for.i know hes had a rough time of it but from the sound of it,so have u,yet ur getting on with things no matter what and trying to be a responsible adult and a good mum,while ur dh IMO is only thinking of his own needs.providing for a family financially is fine,but u need him to be a dad and a loving husband as well or u may as well be on ur own.

calebsmummy · 20/09/2006 10:22

divastrop, I don't think there is Surestart in this area, and I know if there was, we wouldn't be entitled to it for sure.

In DH's defense, he HAS gone through one hell of a lot this past year and yes so have I, but it hasn't all been bad by any means. he does work incredibly hard to provide us with a comfortable life and for the future, for us and the boys. In some ways, being a woman, I am lucky as I have friends who are sensitive to how I feel. Women generally are, but men don't tend to talk about these things with each other so much so DH doesn't have the support I have had. His friends are always there for him, but I think it's a typical male thing whereby they would wait for him to talk about it, not bring it up themselves.

My OP was typed when I was feeling quite low and vunerable. I do get times like that but am very good at pulling myself together and sorting myself out. I have started this by getting some St Johns Wort yesterday. i don't particularly want to go back onto AD's as I wasn't happy about taking them in the first place so hoping the SJW will help.

On a lighter note, Dh seems better today. He went to his martial arts club last night, and when he came to bed he just gave me the loveliest cuddle all night and this morning things have been absolutely fine. He is also working near to home for the rest of the week so will be back before the small boys bedtimes, which will make a huge difference.

I don't think he means to be inconsiderate at all, he just seems guilty of what many men seems to do and it doesn't occur to them to do something without being asked. I think also my attitude when he is inconsiderate doesn't help

I am definately in a more positive mood today. Things will be fine, I know they will. We have a great relationship when everything is ok and the boys mean the world to both of us.

I am now off to count my blessings, of which i have many.

OP posts:
divastrop · 20/09/2006 14:52

im glad ur feeling better today,and i hope i didnt sound too disrespectful yesterday.apologies if i did.
i dont know how sure start works in other parts of the country but where i live they provide services for everybody,regardless of income etc.
anyway,its good ur more positive about everyhting now,take care

calebsmummy · 20/09/2006 20:26

divastrop, you weren't disrespectful at all Sure start is fantastic if you can use it, we were in the catchment for it when we lived in London.

Things still good. DH seems ok, in fact we are having quite an amusing evening with DS1. He's nuts (like his dad )

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