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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Dealing with mum's depression

7 replies

LippityRabbit · 05/05/2012 22:00

I don't really know where to start so I'll just let it flow. My mum and I have always had a weird relationship, I can remember her being fairly inappropriate and emotionally unstable while I was a child - when I was 14 or 15 I can remember her discussing her and my dads sex life (or lack of) with me, she once told me I was her favourite child over my sister. She would scream and shout a lot and my dad often called her a martyr. On the whole though, we had a happy childhood, were loved cared for and never did without.

We lost my dad unexpectedly when I was 16, over 12 years ago now, since then my mum has suffered from depression, which peaks and troughs in severity. She categorically will not accept any help with this, medical or otherwise. I do suspect it was present before my Ddad died. My mum has been successful in other areas of her life, she had built and maintained her own business, owns outright a nice house etc (she attributes all this to my dads influence), but she totally sucks at relationships. She doesn't have any friends, family are non existent (apart from her own mother who physically and mentally abused her her whole childhood, my mum keeps a relationship with her now). My mum relies heavily on my sister and I emotionally, although her relationship with my sister can be volatile.

She is a workaholic, never rests. Takes on too much responsibility and can't cope. She phones me in tears for hours, asks for my advice and poo poo's it, finds excuses why she can't do this or that etc etc.its incredibly draining. she also suffers with ill health, but will not seek medical help, instead refusing ambulances and calling me instead (this incident I had to rush her to hospital with a 5 month old baby in tow). She can be manipulative, puts a spin on things others have said (particularly between my sister and I) to gain sympathy.

Things have come to a head tonight. DD (nearly 2) and I have been staying for a week because our house is being fumigated, I'm pregnant and don't want to be around the chemicals. She looked after DD while I worked this morning, and before I got home my sister had been around and they had argued. When I got in, I was immediately shouted at, she was crying at me telling me I was so ungrateful for everything she does, how uncared for she is, no one cares, she may as well jump off a bridge as no one would care. I started to get upset myself so I decided to stay somewhere else tonight, to give her some space, (I realise it can be irritating having someone invade your home) and I didn't want DD around the tension. She told me I was punishing her if I went. I did manage to calm her down, placating and a cuppa, she had made herself ill so went off to bed.

Now I feel stuck. I understand it isn't her fault the way she is, she's had a shit life. But I feel that it's affecting me, I feel so sad and stressed out, I'm starting to get anxiety and my hubby days it affects me mood wise. I've also noticed that I'm having trouble accepting affection or comfort, from anyone, including DH increasingly more so - cuddles make me feel very uncomfortable. (except DD, we are incredibly attached :) )

I don't even know why I'm posting, or what I'm asking really, maybe it just helps to get it down. I want to know if there's a way to deal with this, usually I can let it over my head, but I'm increasingly finding it hard to deal with. I don't want this to affect my daughter.

OP posts:
DairyNips · 05/05/2012 22:06

I don't think it's your responsibility to try and help someone who won't accept help. You have enough on and have to look after yourself right now. She obviously has had problems in her life but that doesn't mean she can manipulate you and twist peoples words. That's not to do with depression, that's just awful behaviour. None of it is your fault, if I were you I would distance myself from all the drama and concentrate on your own little family and impending arrival.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 05/05/2012 22:13

Do you know I understand I really do but you should not excuse the behaviour from your mum. Yes, she's had a shit life. Yes, she's suffered abuse but yes, she absolute can decide this has got to stop. I have a mum much like yours (except I was not the chosen child, my sister was). My mum suffered horrendous sexual, emotional and physical abuse and it played havoc with her mental health but the only person who could help my mum was herself and it's the same for your mother. Slowly, over many years, I have learned that I am not responsible for my mum or her actions, I can 'be there' for her but I cannot heal her, she has to do that. I can hold her hand a long the way but I cannot take the steps for her not can you. I do the wall thing too, the only people inside my wall are my kids everyone else is held at arm's length.

LippityRabbit · 05/05/2012 22:27

Thank you for reading my long post. And I do agree with you both. I have tried to just 'be there'. I have listened and listened until I have nothing left to give, but I always end up feeling so guilty. I don't ever retaliate or go against the grain if I can help it.

I see her as weak, and I don't like feeling like that about my mum, I care about her and I'm so scared of finding her dead one day (from her ill health), and wondering if I'd done everything I could to help.

The 'wall' -and that's exactly it, how do I overcome it? It's affecting mine and DH's relationship, I used to be such a tactile person. I hate it.

OP posts:
hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 05/05/2012 22:37

I had CBT to help me overcome a phobia but during the treatment it became painfully obvious that my upbringing was responsible for more than the phobia I had. Strangely the CBT did little to resolve the phobia but it did help me deal with my wall and my extremely low self esteem. It helped me enormously, would you consider asking your GP for help?

LippityRabbit · 05/05/2012 22:49

Possibly, it's a bit hard for me to talk openly about this all in real life. I had private counselling a few years ago which like you ended up being centred around my mum, it helped at the time with my confidence and social phobia and a short depression I was suffering at the time.

I also had counselling recently after a sexual assault at work, I didn't find this so useful but have resolved the issue myself.

The more I think about it, the more I think that problems I have in my relationship with DH have some basis here.

OP posts:
RachyRach30 · 06/05/2012 04:23

I know how you feel, you feel responsible for her. Then you worry about her when your not with her. Is she okay etc. it's selfish of her to put this kind of strain on you day to day. I get this too, mum always makes me feel like the parent, not just with her but the rest of my family. I find it hard to deal with. You know something yes she might be anxious or depressed but that doesn't make you selfish . Lots of people have those things but it doesn't make them say the things your mum says and make you feel guilty and on edge all the time, that's not the illness thats your mum being self centred and nasty.

Sunnywithachanceofshowers · 06/05/2012 15:01

Hello lovely

My mum used to talk to me inappropriately when I was a child/teen, and use me as her confidant. This link might be interesting parentification

I've had a lot of counselling and done a lot of work to build healthy boundaries between me and my mum - it's not always been easy, but things are better than they were. I'm lucky that she doesn't lean on me now in the way your mum seems to, I can only advise saying 'no' to inappropriate requests from your mum, no matter how hard. It's not fair that she leans on you so much.

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