Family Matters: Self-Preservation Tips

“Maybe when he is older, he will understand mental health’s impact. He will have a girlfriend and, one day, he will get it,” my late mother whispers to me. I nod, more to appease my weary mother. Her eyes glow when discussing her three sons. With an infectious cackle and mischievous smile, she would tease me about my eccentricities. When I absentmindedly misplaced that night’s homework assignment, she would endearingly refer to me as “Barnacle Breath.” The emotional beacon for three fiercely competitive boys, Mom was the family anchor. Her three boys adored her, basking in hard-fought praise. Mom’s transcendent personality — the dazzling smile, the stern glare, the pragmatism and pride — invited all into her rich life. She lived, even as her body slowly capitulated to pancreatic cancer’s poison. Underneath that hearty chuckle, though, there was a silent pain. Proud and private, she agonized over her eldest son’s mental health struggles. My mental health issues first surfaced in high school. The inner torment swirled as I graduated from a selective undergraduate institution. Law school, and its cauldron of overachievers, threatened my emotional equilibrium. First year was a blur of consultations, classes, and clonazepam. But disciplined and determined, I graduated from law school with a solid GPA and service honors. Cause for celebration? Sure. But, as we know, mental health can torpedo all celebrations. While in law school, my brother — a ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Bullying Caregivers Disorders Family General OCD Parenting Personal Psychology Source Type: blogs