A Mummy and Me Short Story.

mental health

Not everyone shares a close bond with their mothers, but for those fortunate enough to have them alive and present, their significance is unmistakable. Despite any challenges in our relationships, it's important to mend what can be repaired. Avoid reaching a point where regrets surface, wishing you had done things differently. While it's crucial to safeguard your peace, only you can determine if a relationship holds value in your life.

One of our DD Members sent through a short story, can you resonate?

My Mum Short Story: by Jade Doe

When I was born, my mum went back to work straight away and my dad stayed at home with me all day, every day.

When we moved back to Manchester (from Gibraltar), my dad went back to work, he would leave on a Monday and because of the distance, wouldn’t be back until Friday and it killed me! My relationship with my mum from a young age was strained and I always wanted to be with my dad.

She’d raised my 2 brothers and I honestly think she didn’t realise what raising a girl would be like; she looked after her two younger brothers growing up so I think she was just more comfortable with boys.

We used to go on holiday together but stopped when my dad had to be called in because we were fighting so much.

Then out of nowhere she suddenly almost died when I was 12 and that shook me, I could have lost her and would have been felt feeling like we still didn’t even know each other.

As she went through recovery, she contracted bipolar disorder due to the head trauma and we went back to having a volatile relationship but we couldn’t understand each other and grew even further apart.

I felt like I couldn't spend any time with my dad because she would get jealous and he also didn’t want her to feel bad, again, this pushed me further away.

I hated coming home so much that one day, I went to a library and started researching bipolar disorder and it completely opened my eyes.

I felt like I understood her more than ever because it’s a disease you have no control over, you’re basically blinded by rage, upset, and anger which can be triggered by the smallest of things. When I got home, I apologised to her, she had no idea what for, but it was for not caring about how much her life had been altered in a few short months; She must have been screaming inside for someone to understand her but instead just blamed the meds.

We’ve worked on our relationship so much, I knew I needed to include her in my life more and not just go to my dad because it was easier. There are still days when I have to have a break from her because it can also affect my mental health but I try to put myself in her position and wonder how I’d feel if someone never even bothered to understand my new state.

We’re now in such a good place and I couldn’t be without her - it’s sad it took so long but I think it’s made our relationship all the more special for working that bit harder at it.