Hi. I am 17 years old and my mom is in her 50s. I think she is depressed. She hates her job, her boss is really mean, she doesn't have a lot of friends. She is a really sweet person and fun to be around but she never goes out to do anything. I have tried to do some of her housework and stuff so she could go out and not worry but she never will. She and my dad are still married but my dad never wants to go out, he just wants to stay home and watch tv. My mom always talks about how she wishes she could go out and she also talks about how she wishes she had more money. I think it makes her said that she doesn't have a lot of money to buy new clothes and stuff. I have an older brother but he and my mom fight constantly and that makes her sad. She talks often about how much she regrets various things in her life. I truly think she is bi-polar and depressed. Also, next year I am going to college but I am most likely staying in my hometown. She tells me often that she is glad I am staying here because I am her best friend and she would be stuck at home with nothing to do if I were gone. Sadly, I feel that this would probably be true. This obviously stresses me out and makes me sad. What can I do to help her be happy and make friends? I want her to be happy and make the most out of her life. Please help me :'(
Update:Also, my mom goes to the doctor a lot. She is always going to a different doctor. Like almost every week. She says she always feels bad and has a lot of health problems. I think she likes being sick. Or pretending that she is? I don't know.....
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
hi,
sounds allot like me. first off she should set up an appointment with a doctor to address her depression.
most likely she is suffering from moderate to severe anxiety. she will want to discuss that with her doctor too.
Now I'm no doctor, but i can tell you that there is NOTHING more miserable than being depressed and have high anxiety at the same time.
i know, I've suffered from it for years. and i turned to alcohol.
trust me that is not the way to go. it only makes things worse.
anyway, to make a long story short. i was prescribed all different kinds of antidepressants and anti anxiety meds.
but most of them take forever to "kick in" or never worked at all.
i did some research, and found a OTC product called 5-HTTP it is available at any pharmacy and alot of retail stores that carry dietary supplement's. it can be a little pricey at some stores. the best price you can get is at walmart.
anyway i had nothing to loose and gave it a try and i could not believe the difference it made in just 24 hours. it actually worked better than all the anti anxiety and antidepressants I've tried.
i thought it was just me, but i let a few friends know about 5-http and they also had positive experiences with it. it is not a narco like benzo's ( ativan, valium , xanax , klonipin etc.)
i am not a doctor and i do not presume to prescribe. it's just a suggestion for something you might want to check out.
although benzo's do work well in the beginning 2-4 weeks, they are extremely addictive. and after about 4-6 weeks you need more and more until it gets out of control and eventually stop working and have just the opposite effects.
and if you think she is depressed and anxious now, look out.
trying to get off benzo's is the worst feeling you can have. you just feel like you going to die any second.
trust me i know.
this is only a suggestion.
by the way the normal dose is 50mg-100mg daily to start, then 100-200mg in a couple of weeks. it is also a good idea that after a week or two too take it every other day instead of daily.
what ever you do don't take much more than is recommended.
i tried this, i thought, well if 200mg works this good then 400mg will be much better..... WRONG...!
i was in the bathroom for almost 3 days, if you know what i mean.
PS; maybe Dad might want to get it a try as well.
The harsh reality is that you cannot be your mom's cheerleader. Your mom needs professional help. She may be experiencing menopause which will make her moody and depressed. A lot of people wish they had more money these days. It's just the way it is. Life your life sweetie, and let your mom live hers. Encourage her to get some professional help.
You can pray for your mom,
:-)
Humbly,
Mr.