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Will she get better?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
My mum was sectioned on Saturday night. She's had mental health problems (depression, anxiety) of varying degrees for pretty much as long as I can remember, and spent some time in a mental hospital just after her mum died in the mid 90's.

Her mum was schizophrenic so she had a touch childhood, she's almost blind in one eye and she had a falling out with her sister who eventually died aswell. Life has certainly not been kind to her but she has always coped with it

Over the last 2 months her problems have kicked in again, first it was largely depression, she lost her motivation to do almost anything and got depressed about the state of the house. She told me she started to feel this way in February March but me and my dad only really noticed it in April, and on one ocassion i found her in her bedroom with a razor blade, and she had cut herself. We got her some medical help but the problem escalated and she had to go into a respite centre for a couple of weeks.

She came out of there and gradually improved but then quickly went downhill once she stopped receiving home visits from the mental health team. At this point it became more anxiety and tension, she kept telling us she felt like she was going mad/going to die and was always saying the same things despite our reassurances. Nothing seemed to get through and she also was resisting taking her medication. This went on for a couple of weeks but on Saturday night we called the doctor again and it was decided that she was so unwell she would have to be detained under the mental health act. It was hard work getting her to hospital but we managed it.

So now she is in Hospital, i know it is the best place for her and that they will try to put her back on track but i am worried she will never recover from this, every time i speak to her she doesn't seem to have the will to fight on and seems unwilling to communicate with anyone properly.

She keeps telling me she's gone and will never be the same and i am so so worried she might be right. She's been bad before (although not this bad) and recovered, now she is getting proper treatment will she get better? or is it possible she will never be the same again?

I also have guilt about not noticing the signs quicker....am i right or would this have happenned eventually either way.....

I love her so much but can't get rid of this feeling that if i'd been nicer or tried to make her get out a bit more she'd be better now....

Sorry for ranting....

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You can't blame yourself for what's happened to your mum. It can be difficult to pick up on the signs and even when you do, it's hard to know how the person is really feeling and what's going on in their head.

    Although it's not nice that your mum has been detained, she is in the best place as they will be able to look after her alot better than if she was at home. Your mum won't get better overnight, but I'm pretty sure that with the right support and medication she can overcome the anxiety, and once that happens hopefully she will start to feel more positive which will eventually help her to come out of the depression.

    I'm no expert but my mum had mental health problems last year and at the time I was going through a living hell, although my mum was there in body it was like she had died as the person I know to be my mum wasn't there, a fragile, anxious, sad person had taken over her body and it seemed like she would never be mum again. It took months but with the right psychiatric support and medication she slowly got better and I can say she is pretty much back to her normal self now. That said, she was never detained like your mum and nor was she diagnosed as being depressed. Your mum needs your support and your dads support which I'm sure you are both able to give to her. Don't blame yourself though, this would have happened to your mum anyway without anything you think you have said or done.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    so sorry to hear this, *HUGS* for you and your mum and family.

    I think with a lot of mental illnesses, there are good times and then bad episodes, and no-one can say if it'll last all your life or a few months, it's such an inexact science, psychiatry.

    stay strong and take care

    xx
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    This is not your fault not one little bit. So please do not think it is. This is just something that has just happened that is out of everyones control.

    i hope your mum gets better soon and come on here to chat any time xx
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the replies people.

    Immediately after going in she made some progress and levelled out a bit, but has since taken a backward step again and is sometimes refusing her drug treatment, including a new anti psychotic drug....

    She is also repeatedly saying things like "I am going to die" and "I will never see you again" no matter how much reassurance we try and give her...which i am guessing is why the doctors wanted her to have the anti psychotic drug.

    She is scheduled to have ECT tomorrow morning. I know it's not pleasant but i keep trying to tell myself that needs must, and we need to try anything to make it better. I know she will resist it but I am guessing they have the right to make her have it as she is under section....

    Does anyone have any experience of ECT? Is it as safe as they make out? is it painful? :no:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Neddy wrote: »
    Does anyone have any experience of ECT? Is it as safe as they make out? is it painful? :no:

    Paninful ? No. Patients are usualy sedated before any ECT treatment. It's not a pleasent thing to think about or watch and it seems barbaric in todays society BUT i have personally seen it work wonders on people. I don't know exactly how it works but have seen it used to get seriously ill people to a rational state where you can talk to them about drugs/therapy etc.

    The big problem with schizophrenia is that people take the drugs, feel a lot better so then stop taking their drugs so feel worse, go into hospital, get back on drugs, feel better, stop taking them, go back into hospital......... so they need a lot of social support.

    Safe ? Well any medical procedure carries an element of risk.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi Neddy,

    Sorry to hear that things have been up and down for your Mum of late. You have had some great responses on here and all we wanted to add was the link to this page on ECT. It may help you to explore the treatment a little more. Also check out the 'next steps' on the right hand side - there are some great links.

    Keep posting and take care of yourself - :)
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