How do I tell my mother that her depression may be a chemical inbalance?

Question

My mother tells everyone that will listen that she's been "getting weaker every day" for the last 5 years. At that rate, she'd be long-gone by now.

Answer 1

The notion that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance is actually a fallacy that has been perpetuated by the drug industry for so long that people believe its true. These companies are out to make money. In reality, it has never been proven that chemical levels in the brains of depressed people are any different than in non depressed people. Lies from drug companies. I know many people won't like this answer b/c it goes against the common belief system of our society and undermines modern psycho pharmacology but, it is the truth and sometimes the truth hurts.

Answer 2

On Good Morning America today, they did a story on very common "complaints" of ailments that people tend to overlook.

To be diplomatic with your mother, you may be better off to not use the word "depression", but to rather, name a few of her specific symptoms. Ask her to write them down, and offer to go to the Dr. with her. If you believe she needs to see a psychiatrist, ask the Dr. about a chemical imbalance and the possibility of seeing a "specialist", she will be more likely to accept the referral from her Dr, than she will from you. Being a family dynamic of emotions, she may feel you are "accusing" or calling her "crazy", which of course you are not. Your #1 interest is your mother's health.

A woman in my family tree ruined relationships for decades, going untreated for her "chemical imbalance". It wasn't until she was an old lady, haven driven all the relatives away, moved into a care home, that Drs prescribed an appropriate medication to address her mental health. People came to know her as "a sweet old lady".........sadly, it was too late for her family.

Answer 3

There is something more than a chemical imbalance. Depression is a hell of a thing. She needs to see the doctor and to get assesed to see if she is clinically depressed. People with depression do not always show it to others. Maybe she is attention seeking and has got herself into a mega rut. She needs professional help before it gts worse and she starts thinking that life is not worth living.

Answer 4

MAY be a chemical imbalance? If it were not, then pills (anti-depressants) would be of no help. And they do help. Get your mother to a doctor, 5 years is a long time when you are depressed.

Answer 5

She needs to get a good physical perhaps to see if there is something wrong there, take a good general vitamin, but perhaps also try to find something to do that will interest her since it may be she tells everyone that to get attention from them and getting her involved in something she likes will make her feel better about herself. If she is not exercising, her muscles could well be getting weaker since she is not using them. Perhaps, for example, get her an mp3 player and urge her to listen to that as she walks around the block each day.

Answer 6

First of all -- there is no way of knowing what the circumstance of your mother's behavior entails -- especially an "armchair" diagnosis of ---- anything ! There are entirely too many things that could be spurring this type of behavior !! And, until she is assessed by a qualified physician -- one is only guessing as to what is going on !!

In today's society -- the FIRST thing that people think -- when it comes to dang near ANYTHING having to do with people's behavior --- is to "get them on drugs" --- it seems to be the "magic bullet" and the cure-all for EVERYTHING !!

First step in getting help for you mom is to get HER to recognize that she is living "below par" and is in a need for things to BE BETTER !! For, without her willingness and cooperation in ANY efforts -- you are fighting a lost cause to begin with !
Talk with her -- and try to get HER to agree that she is settling for FAR less than she could be experiencing in life at this time ! Let her know that there are ways to change that for the better and that SOMETIMES the doctor can find ways to improve things by simple suggestions of diet, activity ideas, and --- at times a simple drug therapy that helps tremendously
in straightening out the edges for a person !
But, YOU have to understand something here too -- sometimes it is FACT that people prefer to live this way --- and design their life to center around the negative and the low spots for any number of reasons -- one being that it gets them an awful lot of "sympathy" from folks and another is that it is a ready made "excuse" for not doing any better !!

Good Luck with this situation -- and I hope you find a way to get this improved --- for I know that it must concern you a great deal !!

Answer 7

I even have been stricken by post partum melancholy for the previous one 365 days as quickly as I gave beginning to slightly one boy. i could no longer end thinking approximately how my husband loves him greater advantageous than me and how issues may well be greater acceptable if he wasn't born in any respect. for this reason, I stayed remote from him via fact I knew that i might do some thing i would be apologetic approximately for something of my life. virtually rapidly I went to a therapist and convince them that i desire help. between different issues, i've got tried organic supplements and different e book to handle melancholy yet no longer something works like the melancholy loose technique. So now i'm proud to assert i'm between the happiest mom interior the international. My husband loves us the two very a lot and that i thank the Lord for the blessing he gave us. melancholy loose technique?

Answer 8

Seeing you don't have a degree as a doctor or pharmacologist, it is best that you keep your mouth shut. She is a complainer. Tell her to eat her Wheaties and some (beef and taters and fresh veges) and get moving. The body is an engine...it has to be fed fuel and then has to expend that energy to create energy.

Sitters will continue to have low energy no matter what you feed them.

Answer 9

" Mom,, your depression may be a chemical imbalance." Then make a doctor's appointment for her and go with her.

Answer 10

"Mom your depression may be a chemical inbalance."