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Tips for boosting mental health when stuck in a dismal situation

12 replies

greenweepingwillow · 08/08/2021 13:27

Anyone got any tips for how I can preseve my mental health?
Im alreaady on antidepressants, and have been for years. Had cbt etc
Basically every day I feel one day closer to totally cracking up.
I am stuck in a hideous situaiton, which for many various reasons I cant change at the minute and it will be several years before this changes.
My OH couldn't care less about me. Leaves all the running and organising of the house/kids/lfe to me and always had done for 20+ years I work stupid hours in an extremely stressful job, I can't change this cause we need the money and I earn over twice oh salary.
My teenage children are spoilt (yes, my fault I know) and ungrateful They dont lift a finger in the house and treat me like sh*t.Any attempts my me to get them to help end up in shouting and them telling me they hate me.
I have absolutely no friends at all. I go nowhere except work and shopping, and this has been the case for years
I am permentantly exhausted.
I try to do things I know are good for me. I run occassionally, I like gardening and reading.
But I am so permenantly overwhelmed and loney and so fed up of how my entire family treat me and some days I just think Im going to break beyond repair.I am permenantly grumpy because I am so nhappy which leads to the kids all telling me they all hate me and it is all me that is at fault.
Any tips??

OP posts:
NutellaEllaElla · 08/08/2021 13:30

Change the situation. Otherwise aren't you just trying to gaslight yourself?

greenweepingwillow · 08/08/2021 13:31

yep would love to Nutella, but that is just not possible unfortunately.
So ai am trying to figure out the best way through this for the next few years.

OP posts:
ittakes2 · 08/08/2021 13:37

You sound very overwhelmed. I am sorry you feel this way. Can I suggest you just choose one thing to change that would make your life easier. And once you have achieved that choose another thing. You need some quick wins to boost your confidence and mood. Giving yourself a whole pile of things to change might make you feel overwhelmed.
Can I suggest you try shopping delivery to save yourself shopping time - and use that time to go for a walk and appreciate what’s going on in the world around you. Some shops can charge a reasonable yearly fee for free or discounted deliveries.
With your kids - praise is your friend. If they do something towards helping you really heap on how thoughtful they have been and you really appreciate it because it’s made your life so much easier etc etc. When you are not fighting with them use the peaceful times to pay them compliments and tell them how much you love them. Sounds like it maybe be beneficial to reconnect with them. Good luck

greenweepingwillow · 08/08/2021 13:44

ittakes thanks. I do get shopping delivered. I have a large family and we get through a lot of food.
I do have positive time with the dc, but they are super lazy in terms of helping in the house. They are all older, 21 yr old just moved back home having finished uni, then 19,17, 15 and 13. All more than old enough to help out. But they dont. I cant even face trying to get them to help out anymore. I am an absolute doormat, then I get exhausted and shout about something and then I am the evil one and they all hate me.
I take antidoeressants just to dull everything down tbh so I snap less often.

OP posts:
oneglassandpuzzled · 08/08/2021 13:53

I think you need to take yourself off, if you can afford it, for a night or two, even if it's to a Premier Inn near somewhere you can take yourself off for quiet walks or whatever you like doing. The teenagers might very quickly realise how much better their lives are when you're around.

Are you menopausal (just asking, given the ages of the children)? I can manage better since I've been on HRT. I just don't feel so ground down by everything.

Crowsaregreat · 08/08/2021 15:06

OP you've said the situation is unchangeable and also unbearable. That can't be true.

If work hours can't change then home life has to change. You've said things like 'I'm a doormat', you have the power to stop being one. What happens if you tell your family how you feel and ask them to step up?

Honestly if you gave yourself a heart attack or something with this level of stress, what would happen? Your family would have to step up. Tell them how bad it is, lose your shit, stop allowing this to be the way life is. Would it help to suggest a temp separation from your OH, and rent an Airbnb for a month, leaving the house to run itself?

PartridgeFeather · 08/08/2021 16:15

Rota system. If I read correctly, you have a dp and 5 teens /young adults? That's a household of 7, so one day of the week for each member of the family. On their designated day, the person has to do one main meal prep, cook and wash-up per day (for the whole family) plus one household chore. If they refuse to do it/throw a strop, the next person doesn't cook for the refuser at the next meal/leaves the refuser's laundry unwashed etc.

I've suggested this as I'm having similar with my teens...
If they can't cook, the 13yo can do beans on toast until they start to enjoy the idea of choosing what the family will be eating.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 08/08/2021 16:19

no long term solutions but I love crocheting & knitting - you can look up Woolly Hugs here on MN if you fancy crafting for charity or obv just make stuff for yourself.
I find using my hands to make things very soothing.

And I love putting music some music on and dance with the kids like drunk uncles at a wedding. it always makes me feel better.

CustardyCreams · 08/08/2021 16:32

Well, if anger has failed with the kids and DH, then go on strike. Don’t wash the clothes, don’t vacuum or pick up after them, don’t do a big food shop.

When they ask for dinner, say you are too tired to shop, they can eat cereal. Tell them you had a sandwich on the way home from work already (make sure you do). When they say the milk and cereal runs out, tell them to make toast or pasta. Be perfectly pleasant, just smile and say, “you know what, I’m just exhausted. You can sort yourselves out for a bit, I’m sure.” If the kids ask for money for takeaway, say no, you don’t have enough. If they want food, tell them to put together a shopping basket online and then you’ll check it and pay for it. Make sure it’s delivered in the evening when they are home to pack it away.

Same with the laundry. Simply do your own and say nothing. When someone complains, say you just don’t have the energy to do it all.

And then, put your feet up, do nothing at all. Sleep, read, watch tv
It is important that you are seen doing absolutely nothing productive to drive the message home.

Keep this up as long as necessary.

If they shout and say they hate you, say that makes you really sad as you love them to bits. But you have no energy left for arguing, so would they mind please leaving you in peace if they have nothing nice to say?

Absolutely cool and calm.

Oh and tell the 21 y.o. you expect rent each week. Set an amount, starting immediately. No free ride for adult kids.

Sarahlou63 · 08/08/2021 16:51

Given that you are obviously good at your job (otherwise you wouldn't earn so much money!) why do you feel you can't assert yourself at home?

If - for example - you told them that for the next month you're going to get them prepared for living alone; which means they are now responsible for cleaning their own rooms, the kitchen and bathrooms, laundering their clothes and that they would have a weekly budget (in a Big Brother vein) for all their food what would be;

  1. The worst case scenario
  2. The best case scenario
  3. The likely scenario

Thinking about, and planning your actions, based on the three options will give you a sense of control rather than, as you are now, firefighting and getting into arguments.

greenweepingwillow · 08/08/2021 17:12

thanks for all the ideas!
Have considered just going away for a night ot two, I might do that!
re going on strike when I try this they still do nothing. the end result is the house is a disgusting tip and there is no food in the house and they have no clean clothes (worse when this is uniform for younger ones - wouldn't bother me so much in holidays) but the state of the house only ever upsets me! They could happily live like this it seems endlessly.when there is no food they whinge and moan at me endlessly.I may try this again though and just live in my room, but it would be enldess and seems sad to be stuck in my room forever.
what tends to happen is I stick with it for so long, until it gets unbearable and then I flip and shout(i know this isnt good btw) , they shout back and tell me "You're mental" and that they hate me and we all end in tears with the house still a tip and still no food in the house.
returned student is one of the worst for mess making. and that irritates me too.
I have actually just slept for 2 1/2 hours and do feel a bit better. but it is just relentless.
I am actually good at my job and work in a very senior clinical position in the NHS. I feel generally good at work (although last few months have been horendously stressful)
I actually used to knit and crochet - will dig those out again, good idea thanks.

OP posts:
greenweepingwillow · 08/08/2021 17:40

oh, and def right age to be menopausal but no other symptoms to suggest this and this issue has been going on for 10 or more years so not all down to that!

OP posts:
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