Changing Minds

Hi @Hope4ever,

A very warm welcome to the forums

The 'Changing Minds' programme is great and is relatable for many people, particularly on the forums. It also gives the general public a great insight into the way a psychiatric unit operates and mental illness in general.

It must be have been stressful for both you and your husband caring for your daughters at times. It sounds like you both have done an amazing job at 'keeping going'. It is great that you can have a laugh at times and maybe this has been the thing that has helped you through at times? Is there anything else that helps to keep you both going when things get tough?

Its definitely nice to know you are not alone and hopefully you will find the forums a good place to share and connect with other cares

Rockpool

Thanks for the welcome. I guess the other things I do to keep sane is that I don't hide the fact that we deal with the mental illness. I speak to people and try to make it real so they can understand. I can't help but feel that it needs to be in the open and stop the stigma of mental illness. We often tell people that mental illness is just like any other sickness and should be recognised as such. The more education out there, the more understanding and less fear for those who haven't had to deal with it. Both hubbie and I now suffer with PTSD since we've had to deal with so many suicide attempts and hospilisations. But we pray alot and try to keep up with any progress made with finding a cure etc. Sometimes it's very tough and other times not so bad.

Hi @Hope4ever, welcome to the Forums. I sounds like you've been a great mum under some pretty difficult circumstances. There are lots of other parents on the Forum that I'm sure can relate to your story. A few that come to mind are @Janna, @Untethered, @Sally, @seahorse and @Nay.

Since you mentioned Changing Minds, I thought you might be interested tonight's Topic Tuesday about mental health in the media. @Jenni_H, ex-ABC journalist, and the current coordinator of SANE’s Stigma Watch program will be joining us to talk about the role of journalists in mental illness and hear Forum members’ views. It would be great to have your input! You can join the conversation here from 7-9pm tonight.

Did you catch all three episodes of Changing Minds?

HI @Hope4ever

When ever you need to chat, we are here. I find this forum comforting when I have a bad day.

Even though my daughter is 13, I can sympathis with the worry. I have met some wonderful, comforting people on here that resure me that Im a good mum. I need to hear that sometimes.

Thank you for sharing your story. Sometimes you just need people to hear you with no reponse or judgement and I can help you there.....lol.

Take care and hope to hear form you soon.

I take my hat off to you, 3 daughters, I am having trouble coping with just one! The realisiation that her disorder, now Bipolar 2 wih extreme emotional deregulation (after many other previous labels) is going to be a lifelong struggle for her is daunting to say the least. i grieve every day for the life she may never find but remain optimistic that she will find an easier path to travel than the one she is currently on. i'm not yet able to laugh at the ridiculous but hearing that is possible gives me the positive energgy I need. May of my days are punctuated with negative interactions but I am slowly begnning to seperate the disorder from the beautiful, intelligent and loving daughter than I have been blessed wth. Thankyou for sharing, reading other carrers stories is a great source of comfort for me.