Hello,
I am a 20 year old carer and student, I share caring responsibilities with my Dad who is the main day to day carer, however we both live at home with my 50 year old mum who has MS.
My Mum is wheelchair bound and gets around the house fairly easily however, any transferring onto different chairs, dressing, washing etc is done for her. The physical aspects of her MS are fine to cope with we don’t tend to have any major difficulties. However, I would say about over a year ago now my Mum’s mental health started deteriorating, she was depressed, paranoid, angry and frustated all the time. She eventually decided to take anti-depressants after I had to contact her MS nurse and GP myself and she calmed down for a few weeks. About a month ago she had a water infection and for want of a better term, she completely lost it. Antibiotics appeared to clear up the infection but her psychological state has just stayed the same, I’ve called the MS nurse who just tries to get me to contact Carer’s Resource, which I fully appreciate but it seems nobody quite understands what we have to deal with as she can turn it on and off when anyone else enters the house. She screams and shouts, is demanding, rude, critical, she is also emotionally and physically abusive. Just this morning my Dad left the house to go out and she took the opportunity to go on the computer and I caught her logged into my Dad’s personal facebook reading his messages, I confronted her and she pulled my hair and scratched me, before ramming into my shins with her wheelchair. I ended up having to video her during this ‘episode’, I hated having to do that but I saw no other option as otherwise how can anyone know what happens?!
I’m intending to see my GP who is also my Mum’s as soon as possible, though I’m a bit unsure as to what he will actually say - even when she can recognise how she is acting she is so stubborn she won’t admit it and can absolutely no way see how it affects my Dad and I - she thinks we’re both out to harm her all the time. I have been to see the GP before and it just seems he tries to get me to take myself away and even suggested I move out into student accomodation instead of living at home, I would never ever leave my Dad to cope with it all by himself and I said this, and that kind of advice isn’t what I need, I don’t need the direct help for myself.
If anyone has ever been in a similar situation or can offer any kind of advice with regards to getting my Mum more psychological or any other kind of help I would really appreciate that as the stress is really starting to mount!
Thankyou very much.