Can a woman with bipolar disorder be a good mother?
Bipolar disorder is a manageable mood disorder. Going through pregnancy requires that a woman works together with her doctor and afterwards, because of the hormonal changes, adjustments may be needed to her medication cocktail, but there is no reason why a woman with bipolar cannot be a good mother.
Coping with a mental illness and mothering is a challenge but it doesn't mean that you cannot be a good mother. When you are fighting against depression and have a young child, sure, you will be up against having to take care of your child while you are trying to take care of yourself. Any mother who has any kind of illness has the same challenges.
When are we going to stop assuming that a mental illness makes someone incapable of functioning? It can make you incapable if you are not receiving treatment or if a secondary problem such as substance abuse exists. Many women make it through dual diagnosis while they parent a child.
There is always hope. Some children are raised by a mother with a mental illness and have scars to show from it. For others, they learn a valuable lesson from their mother. The lesson of never giving up and overcoming the odds that may be stacked against them helps to build strength.
What kind of treatment and support a woman receives will make all the difference in what kind of mother she is to her children. Nothing is black and white when talking about mental illness and what kind of mother someone can be in spite of it. The situations are unique and everyone has their own level of strength.
Being a mother is the most important role you will ever have as a woman. If you are a mother who is challenged by your own mental illness, get support and find treatment that works for you. You can be a great mom in spite of the mental illness that challenges you.
Happy Mother's Day!
Bipolar disorder is a manageable mood disorder. Going through pregnancy requires that a woman works together with her doctor and afterwards, because of the hormonal changes, adjustments may be needed to her medication cocktail, but there is no reason why a woman with bipolar cannot be a good mother.
Coping with a mental illness and mothering is a challenge but it doesn't mean that you cannot be a good mother. When you are fighting against depression and have a young child, sure, you will be up against having to take care of your child while you are trying to take care of yourself. Any mother who has any kind of illness has the same challenges.
When are we going to stop assuming that a mental illness makes someone incapable of functioning? It can make you incapable if you are not receiving treatment or if a secondary problem such as substance abuse exists. Many women make it through dual diagnosis while they parent a child.
There is always hope. Some children are raised by a mother with a mental illness and have scars to show from it. For others, they learn a valuable lesson from their mother. The lesson of never giving up and overcoming the odds that may be stacked against them helps to build strength.
What kind of treatment and support a woman receives will make all the difference in what kind of mother she is to her children. Nothing is black and white when talking about mental illness and what kind of mother someone can be in spite of it. The situations are unique and everyone has their own level of strength.
Being a mother is the most important role you will ever have as a woman. If you are a mother who is challenged by your own mental illness, get support and find treatment that works for you. You can be a great mom in spite of the mental illness that challenges you.
Happy Mother's Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment