Naheaton made an interesting comment about not being able to forgive and let go and move on. I could use that with my own anger/depression which I have going on while being my mom's caregiver. (angry at siblngs) Good luck with your loved one
I'm with Naheaton. At least 80% of my clients are MICA; and depressed. Instead of facing their demons and seeking some form of closure, they try to block it all out with Rx'ed meds or put on a teflon facade to cover up the fact they're hurting.
I suggest a thorough medical/psychiatric evaluation to discover or-rediscover the underlying causes of depression. In the meantime, there's a lot that you can do: talk therapy. It's hard to watch someone afraid of death hole up either in her room or within herself. It's also equally hard to watch someone who's given up all hope begging for the Grim Reaper to take them away. Their depression, in one way or another, affects you as well.
So talk with her; often. Even if she was denied a childhood, there must have been many happy times in her life. Start with those. Then move on to the teenage years -- her first kiss, her first love, her first heartbreak. As you help her rewind the tape of her existence and keep on peeling the layers, you just might get to the roots of her depression ... and meet a woman you never really knew. Good luck.
I don't understand it either. Our pastor recently said something interesting. He said that the MAJORITY of people who are depressed (that don't have a chemical imbalance) but self medicate with drugs, alcohol, sex, years of therapy etc. have unforgiveness in their hearts. Somewhere along the line, those people have NOT forgiven someone or something. In other words, they are unwilling or unable to 'let it go' and move on. I thought that was pretty interesting. Don't know if this applies to your mom, but it is thought provoking I think.
Good luck with your loved one
I'm with Naheaton. At least 80% of my clients are MICA; and depressed. Instead of facing their demons and seeking some form of closure, they try to block it all out with Rx'ed meds or put on a teflon facade to cover up the fact they're hurting.
I suggest a thorough medical/psychiatric evaluation to discover or-rediscover the underlying causes of depression. In the meantime, there's a lot that you can do: talk therapy. It's hard to watch someone afraid of death hole up either in her room or within herself. It's also equally hard to watch someone who's given up all hope begging for the Grim Reaper to take them away. Their depression, in one way or another, affects you as well.
So talk with her; often. Even if she was denied a childhood, there must have been many happy times in her life. Start with those. Then move on to the teenage years -- her first kiss, her first love, her first heartbreak. As you help her rewind the tape of her existence and keep on peeling the layers, you just might get to the roots of her depression ... and meet a woman you never really knew. Good luck.
-- ED
--