Ask Me Help Desk - My mom has depresion

A long history of depresion and suicide run in my family. My mother has always been independent and very strong willed. However for the past three month after learning that her husband of 15 years has had an affair she has been on an emotional roller coaster. She keeps saying that things will get better on there own. BUT THEY ARE NOT. She will go a few days putting on makeup and a smile acting and feeling as if everything is great. Then all of a sudden she becomes sad and feels that her life is over. She starts cleaning out her house of all old things and wants to go to sleep forever. Saying that she is just to tiered to deal anymore. Before she reaches out for help she is back to her happy (fake) self. I know inside she is hurting and lost. I have offered names of consolers and ways to contact help. How can I get her to see that she can't handle this one alone.

Desperate to get help for my mom. She deserves to live in peace with herself I love her so much.

Please help before it is to late for her.

A counselor can only help so much, they cannot address the medical aspects of depression. Her doctor can! She should go in for a physical, explain her symptoms of depression and hopefully her doctor will get her started on some medication. Depression does not go away on it's own.

For some facts on depression: This is taken from the National Institute of Mental Health:
NIMH: Depression

"In any given 1-year period, 9.5 percent of the population, or about 20.9 million American adults, suffer from a depressive illness5 The economic cost for this disorder is high, but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated. Depressive illnesses often interfere with normal functioning and cause pain and suffering not only to those who have a disorder, but also to those who care about them. Serious depression can destroy family life as well as the life of the ill person. But much of this suffering is unnecessary.
Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment, although the great majority even those whose depression is extremely severe can be helped. Thanks to years of fruitful research, there are now medications and psychosocial therapies such as cognitive/behavioral, "talk" or interpersonal that ease the pain of depression.

Unfortunately, many people do not recognize that depression is a treatable illness. If you feel that you or someone you care about is one of the many undiagnosed depressed people in this country, the information presented here may help you take the steps that may save your own or someone else's life."

Depression is not something that a person just "snaps out of". You know that too. If she does not call her doctor and make the appointment, I hope you do. At least talk to the doctor and explain what is going on.

Best of all to you and your Mom.

I would have to say someone that is depressed might not admit it. I should know this I went on for several years without admitting it. The best thing to do, if your mother will not admit it to herself, just stick with her and be supportive of her. Someone once told me, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can not make it drink".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fallenangelss

I would have to say someone that is depressed might not admit it. I should know this I went on for several years without admitting it. The best thing to do, if your mother will not admit it to herself, just stick with her and be supportive of her. Someone once told me, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can not make it drink".

Thanks. That is what I have been doing. It is nice to hear that I'm doing the right thing. I just want her to get help. I know she has to do it on her own.