Melody69Casual Contributor
Hi my name is Melody and I am new here
I have been dealing with my son's mental health issues for 21 years now and am finding it harder than ever. I am now 69 years old and not coping like I used to.
He does not take any responsibility for his own mental health and uses alcohol to self-medicate. He is not an angry drunk but rather a depressive drunk.
He has many other physical health issues and has multiple disabilities. He has a neck injury which is inoperable, due to a hit and run. He also has COPD due to being a firefighter for the past eleven years. Along with this he has a heart condition and also a severe allergy called Alfa Gal Syndrome which is caused through a tick bite - he is unable to eat any mammal products: milk, lamb, meat and pig.
His disabilities are complex, and he is only 36 years old. His mental health is affected by his physical disabilities and lack of social interaction.
I find it hard to navigate his many disabilities and to determine what his need is for the day. Is it mental health? Is it due to physical pain? Is it due to his allegories?
As an older Australian I do not have the energy I once had and find it hard to do all that is necessary to care for a sixty-acre property and just the past three years with bushfires, five floods and now another drought.
Due to living remotely I am quite isolated and am hoping for support and just to know I am not alone in it all.