Helen's Story

As I have grown up with my mother being manic depressive I have not had to deal with one problem that other carers have to cope with, that of seeing someone they love developing this illness. My mother's illness was worst when I was little. I remember my brother and I were looked after by my aunt in Cornwall for six months while my mother was in hospital. Later she was admitted to hospital for shorter periods, and I remember visiting her there and being looked after by friends while my father was at work.

The worst part of the illness was when she used to get manic and have wild ideas, often spending a lot of money. She would also get verbally aggressive and say things that upset me. When she was well again she would be very upset at what she had done and apologise. However I would sometimes wonder if perhaps she meant some of what she had said.

My mother has been well for a long time now and her illness does not affect my brother or myself. We have lived away from home for over eight years and don't really think of her as having a serious illness. She lets us know if she thinks she is starting to get high but I think that is her way of "touching wood", as she is quite capable of managing the illness on her own.

My brother and I have no problems with the fact that our mother has manic depression and believe that there should be no stigma attached to mental illness in the 1990's.