5 posts shown.
@ Microsoft I probably say "thank you" far too often—but seriously, thanks. 🙂 I'm currently in the middle of applying for a scholarship, so wish me luck.
@Kevin Nguyen3 I hear you. 🙂
Michelle Evans said:She actually used the right term. Please don't lash out at people for no reason.
There was no mention of a "disorder," just "behaviors," which aren't the same thing.
Furthermore, individuals dealing with schizophrenia can also develop OCD. (link)
Thanks. 🙂
Of course I wasn't referring to the disorder.
Kevin Nguyen3 said:Are you actually suggesting that Dad wasn't managing her medication?
Because if he had been, we wouldn't be standing here in this mess, would we?
And this idea that NOBODY can reach her anymore? That simply isn't true. I know plenty of much worse cases—situations far more complicated than this—where people can still be reached to make life easier for them and everyone else involved.
Given how she is right now, some level of oversight is absolutely mandatory.
Your physical appearance doesn't change your age. Why even mention it? It's completely irrelevant. Even if you look like a teenager again, you are still eighteen. Please, just accept that you aren't a little girl anymore; you're trying to act like a responsible adult, and part of that means you can't just run away from your obligations. You have to face them head-on. You are an adult now, which means you can step up and take responsibility for Mom's medical care—specifically making sure she takes her prescriptions regularly.
As for this notion about not wanting to drag your boyfriend into all of this... honestly, that approach is fundamentally flawed.
How on earth do you expect to isolate him from your reality when his life is directly impacted by your condition and how you behave?
He needs to accept the situation alongside you, precisely because YOU need that support system when things get heavy. If you don't, you are just going to break down over time, and eventually, you'll be the one falling ill most of all, simply from the sheer stress of refusing to understand what's happening.
Trichotillomania. I am genuinely surprised you haven't sought professional help for that sooner.
I know I'm eighteen, but I'll admit I'm irresponsible—and I honestly don't think taking full control right now would actually make things better. Of course, since things have taken a turn for the worse, I've been forced to step up, but sometimes it feels impossible because I feel like I have absolutely no one to lean on. My dad sees the world through a completely different lens than I do; he just doesn't get me. We talk, sure, but his idea of parenting is basically paying the bills, keeping us fed, and handing out a bit of pocket money—meaningful, casual conversation just isn't in his vocabulary. I don't have any older mentors or relatives I can turn to for advice without being lectured. That isn't an excuse for my lack of responsibility, but sometimes it really holds me back.
As for my boyfriend—he knows everything and he's involved, but I just don't want to weigh him down. I don't want to spend our time whining or dumping my problems on him when he has his own issues to deal with and can't really do much to help anyway. Now I'm starting to wonder if it was even a mistake coming here to post all this. You all have your own struggles; I shouldn't be bothering you with mine.
Regarding the hair pulling—I was too ashamed to admit it to anyone, including myself.
My dad was in charge of her medication, but Mom would lie about actually taking them—eventually, he just stopped trying. Honestly, we probably bear some blame for not watching closer, but we were only 14 at the time, and nobody had really sat us down to explain what was happening to her. I know she isn't going to get better. We talked to her a million times about seeing a doctor and staying on her meds, but she’d just start yelling and wander off, talking to herself. There is simply no way to reach her anymore. We've tried everything. I haven't received an official diagnosis yet, but I’m not naive enough to miss the symptoms of trichotillomania appearing in myself. I’ll be getting that sorted out in December when my appointment is scheduled. I have a boyfriend, whereas my sister doesn't—and I knew that once people read "17 and 18," they’d assume we're grown women capable of handling this ourselves. But like I said, the two of us are nowhere near being adults. If you saw us, you wouldn't even guess our ages; most people tell me I look 15 or 16, so... anyway, my boyfriend is younger than me, and this isn't his burden to carry—I have no intention of dragging him into something that won't do him any good. Thanks for the advice, regardless.
I’m posting here because I’ve reached a complete dead end—I honestly don't know what else to do. My mom was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia five years ago; she spent two weeks in the hospital back then, and after being discharged, she stayed on her medication and kept up with her injections, which helped significantly. However, three years ago, she stopped taking her meds and skipped all her follow-up appointments. We didn't realize it at the time—communication in our house is nonexistent, and to put it bluntly, my family is completely dysfunctional. Mom is in a terrible state now. The worst part is that my sister and I are constantly in tears, listening to our dad spiral because he has no idea how to handle this. There are moments when it feels like we should all just lock ourselves in a room and cry until we die. My sister is 17 and cries constantly; she talks about death and clearly can't cope anymore—it's obvious she's struggling with depression. I'm 18, but I don't feel independent or secure—it's like I haven't even hit adulthood yet. Every morning, getting out of bed feels impossible because I know another grueling day is waiting for me. I have a psychiatrist appointment scheduled for December because I can't take it anymore; I'm certain I've fallen into a deep depression myself. On top of that, I've been battling trichotillomania for eight years—I finally worked up the courage to tell my doctor about it. Financially, we're drowning. Dad is living on minimum wage, Mom is too, and my sister and I are suffering every single day. I'm in high school, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and aiming for medical school. My sister is also an honors student and wants to pursue nursing. We both have potential, but the future looks incredibly bleak right now. Mom never gives us anything from her meager paycheck—she doesn't even curse us out for asking, she just spends everything on herself. She constantly claims we only care about her money or that we wish her harm, then retreats to another room to swear, talk to herself, and engage in various obsessive-compulsive behaviors. If she actually seeks treatment, she'll likely lose her job, and Dad is already buried in debt. I don't know how we can find a way out where everyone benefits. I haven't really had a mother for five years; I went through puberty without her because she was never truly "there," and it leaves me feeling absolutely hollow. I want her to get better—more than anything—but I also want my sister and me to hold onto some semblance of hope for a decent future. I'm not writing this for pity; I'm writing this because if anyone—anyone at all—has even a shred of advice on how we can fix this, I would be eternally grateful.