Posted by obsidian on October 18, 2008, at 22:37:36
In reply to Mental Illness in Your...., posted by JayMac on October 17, 2008, at 19:08:08
you know it is a good question, and I often try to put pieces together to understand what might be considered some type of illness within my family.
Truly, I don't know. I can see that there is some "strangeness" for sure, and I can even say that yes, I believe that there is to some extent what might be called "mental illness" in my family, but poorly understood..
let me jot down a few of the things that have made me wonder....my father- a generally strange guy, we don't know what it is with him, but apparently he attacked the cops that he believed were making fun of him and then he was arrested. He then saw a court ordered psychiatrist and was put on depakote.
He apparently then focused his energy on having his writing published which would expose their wrongdoing. This happened just a few years ago. He is also an alcoholic, but I believe he no longer drinks. I am estranged from him.
Apparently his cousin takes medication for bipolar disorder.my grandmother (paternal)- apparently spent some time in psych units, tried to kill herself by sticking her head in the oven, severe alcoholic
my grandfather (paternal)- severe alcoholic, managed to become sober after his doc said he was going to die otherwisemy uncle (maternal side)- apparently many years ago he was diagnosed with "paranoid schizophrenia"
He was an odd, isolated and paranoid guy, and as per my mother he did believe that neighbors were spying on him and that the radio was talking to him. He also became paranoid about my mother at some point which frightened my mother.
Other relatives said that he had "episodes". He was in a psych unit more than once. His "pills" were kept in sight of my mother who knew that her mother made sure that he took them. My uncle's father said that "the devil got him"
He lived in squalor as we finally found out after he died and had to go through the incredible filth and clutter that he left behind in the house he lived alone in.my mother - she can be one seriously labile person, problems with alcohol
my grandmother (maternal) - my siblings have told me she was diagnosed with something that began with a "b", they don't know what, she could be quite nasty
my sister- at least one episode of major depression
my brother- depression, don't know if he's gone for meds, has taken st. john's wort, a little heavy on the drinking
who knows....
poster:obsidian
thread:857980
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20081018/msgs/858199.html