Challenges of being a bipolar mom

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2003
Challenges of being a bipolar mom
2
Tue, 11-30-2004 - 5:47pm

Right now, I am fighting depression, the results of a hypomania and being a mother to two beautiful boys. I have been doing a lot of thinking about being a mother and the challenges when you are depressed. I have a 7month old and a 4 year old. When they are babies, you just need to take care of their basic needs, but with the 4 year old, I hate to just plant him infront of the TV. What are you biggest challenges and how do you over come them when it comes to parenting and being depressed or even manic?

Kristin

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 12-01-2004 - 9:40am

Hey Kristin...WOW, this is a really hard question! I struggle too, all the time with being a Bipolar mom. My son is now almost 14, so its a lot easier than with your two little ones. I do know that I always "made up" for feeling like such a terrible mom and spoiled him, buying him everything he wanted...so now I'm dealing with that...and its really too late to change it. Sometimes all you CAN do is put him in front of the tv and if that's ALL you can do, don't feel guilty about it. That's one of the hardest things to get over, FEELING GUILTY. Some things we can do, some things we can't. When you feel better, then you'll do more. I also feel guilt, because my last huge manic episode cost me a lot, my son saw things I didn't want him to see...its been 3 years now, and I'm still seeing some of those effects. But they're going away, getting solved...things have a tendency to work themselves out and children adjust. All in all, he's come away pretty much unscathed. He knows I have problems, and I've just now started trying to educate him on my ILLNESS and just how bad it can sometime get. He saw me in and out of the hospital 4 times in the last 18 months - 2 years. I finally told him this last hospital visit just how unsafe it was for me to be home. He listened, and I think he understood. He still gets inpatient with me, but all teenagers do that with their parents. Now, when I need to not be bothered, I tell him not to bother me...he gets over it.

I really feel for you, because your kids are so young. Do you have a dh, or any support around you that can help you out when you need it?

We're here, so keep posting!!!

Hugs,

Keli

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Wed, 12-01-2004 - 8:06pm

Kristin,


Being a mom of little ones is rough no matter what & BP just adds to the "fun".