Depressed. In the Famiy. From the Family

Hello all,

I really can't stand this depression fighting anymore. I feel so hopeless all the time. What's even worse is that the people who are supposed to be closest to you let you down the most.

My mom is no doubt depressed, but refuses to admit to it. She mopes around all the time looking all miserable. I just wanna shake her and say "go talk to someone!" but that would be mean. But I wish she would help herself. In return for her own misery, I suffer it as well. She doesn't allow me to do anything rarely, and when she does, she gets all mad and frusterated like I'm an annoyance. She won't let me go out with anyone and constantly has her eye on me. It's really frusterating when you're trying to figure yourself out and experiment and figure out who you want to become when mommy keeps holding you back.

My dad doesn't even pay attention to me. He's so caught up in his work he couldn't care less about my family. He doesn't pay attention to me and has no interest in anything I do or in anything that I accomplish. It would be nice to have a father sometimes.

There's supposedly a history of depression in my family, and it doesn't suprise me. It irratates me that no one wants to seek help and help themselves. I do. I go to counseling, but in the end-it's not gonna stop my parents and how they are towards me.

I'm so hopeless and lost and confused, I just wish I had a mom and dad who cared about me and understands that while I'm transitioning through these early stages of life I'm going to need a little bit of support.

Any parents out there of late teens....what's your advice?

Thanks

Honey I could not relate to you more.
My parents suffered from depression my whole life and often took it out on me/showed no attention or care for my feelings.
I've tried telling my father that there is something wrong but he would listen either. He gets SO ANGRY too and doesn't think its wrong!
I have gone through the healing process my self and am depressed but getting better.

Explaining didn't work. I simply told them one day from the bottom of my heart that I couldn't deal with the fighting and the stress. I didn't talk to them often... maybe once every six months... I wouldn't answer their calls and if they called and agitated my mental health I simply hung up. This was the hardest thing I had to do because I was so starved for their attention. They are slowly coming around.

My father won't get help still....but at least realizes my condition and does not agitate it anymore. I finally realized that I cannot make them want to help themselves, They know I am always here if they decide to get help, but until then I will keep my distance for my own sake. Maybe you should too?
The best thing you can do is get them to go and talk with a doctor.... (My dad used to say: "what are you a psychiatrist now or something?")

My parents hurt me more than anyone ever has, and honestly if you are living in their house there is not a lot you can do, except calling a school counsellor to come by and talk to your parents. They don't realize how much their attitudes affect you.

All I can say is Put your foot down! If that doesn't work, they are on their own when they are in these "moods" walk away--move out, and don't speak to them if its too hard for you.

p.s. You would be suprised how much depression carries over from your parents. I didn't realize I was depressed too until I was 21.... I even argued that I wasn't depressed but I tried the medicine anyway, and it turned my life around. Go talk to someone! It helps!