Parental –Mental Illness

Most unfortunate are those children who have to cope up with parental mental illness. Among every 5 people facing mental illness one is a parent .These are confused people who are moody and in depression always.
The most common form of mental illness in a mother is the post partum depression. The short term depression after delivery but in some it worsens to post partum Psychosis, desire to harm the baby. This makes it difficult in bringing up children in a healthy atmosphere. The child gets to witness frequent quarrels in families, abuses either physically or verbally and constant instability in family relationships. The common challenges that these children experience are bullying by their classmates, frequent absenteeism and studies not catered to, low grades. The parents show least interest in the child’s academics and daily routine needs.
Thee children completely lose out on physical and mental intimacy with their parent. This could be minimized if the other parent can compensate for it. these defects tends to make the elder children lose their childhood as they have to handle responsibilities not right for their age like managing siblings, cooking ,taking care of the household etc.
The affected parent might avoid the child mingling with the outside world due to insecurity e.g. neighbors and therefore they are shut to the outside contacts. This may lead to depression in the child, due to isolation.
Research has proved that a child of a parent who is mentally ill experiences the same mental imbalance and tends to inherit some of the traits from their parents like fear, anxiety etc. The child is affected to a great extent if they have grown up with a mentally ill parent and have been subjected to abuses ,negligence, witnessed arguments, violence, seen parents misusing alcohol or drugs. They tend to assume that their future relationships and acquaintances might be with the same kind of people.
Ways to cope up with such illness so that you protect your child is if being a parent you feel you are too anxious violent or losing control please seek medical help and advice. If your partner is so then take help of your friends or relatives to protect your children from such contacts. Be the best and give the best to your child after all they deserve it. Spread the signs of positive and perfect parenting.