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“I Know I’m Mentally Ill”: 16YO’s Mental Illness Ignored By Dad And Stepmom, She Lashes Out
Interview With Expert
The sad truth is that we still live in a world where people are unaware of mental health issues and the struggles that a person can face. Some people even try to hush it up because it’s still associated with shame.
That’s exactly the case with the father and stepmother of Reddit user IceNecessary785, who genetically inherited mental illness from her biological mom. After being told not to talk about it constantly, the original poster (OP) finally cracked under the struggle and snapped at them, but this just infuriated them more!
More info: Reddit
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Sadly, we still live in a world where mental illness is not taken seriously; rather, it’s even associated with shame
Image credits: Vanessa Loring / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The poster lives with her dad and stepmom after her mom lost custody as she was suffering from a mental illness that had affected almost everyone in her mom’s family
Image credits: IceNecessary785
Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Her dad and stepmom never talk about the inherited mental illness that she had and they have also stopped her from talking about her biological mom
Image credits: IceNecessary785
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
They also don’t like her talking about these things in their house when her other siblings were present
Image credits: IceNecessary785
One day they saw her search for her mom so they told her to stop, but she snapped at them for ignoring her mental health, which just angered them as the other kids were in the house
In today’s story, we dive into a very sensitive topic where the poster tells us about the mental struggles that she’s facing. She lives with her dad and stepmom as her mom lost custody due to a mental illness that also affected her entire family. Even the poster is also suffering from the same thing, but she’s not allowed to talk about it.
It’s all because of her dad and stepmom, who not only ignore her mental health struggles but also forbid her from talking about her mom and her issues. Whenever she does bring up her mom, they say “nurture is more important than nature” and that she’s disrespecting her stepmom.
She had also refused to be adopted by her stepmom as her mom paid child support without fail. Even her grandpa is on her side and checks up on her mom from time to time. When she tries to speak up about her struggles, her father brushes it all off that she’s “imagining it”. Besides, she’s not allowed to talk about it when her other siblings are in the house.
The deeper we dive into the story, the more we realize the sufferings of OP. One day, when she was Googling her mom, they caught her and stopped her, claiming she was being disrespectful to her “real mom”. That was the breaking point for her because she finally snapped and started screaming at the couple.
It was bound to happen as they kept forcing her to keep everything bottled up while they pretended that everything was normal. She yelled at them about her mom and her own struggles and kept at it even when they asked her to stop. Tragically, they were not brought to their senses, rather it bounced back on her as they were furious at her because the other kids were in the house.
After the poster vented online, Redditors couldn’t help but express their sympathies to her; after all, it’s quite a miserable thing that’s happening to the teen. They were furious with the couple for taking mental health so lightly and even asking her to suppress her suffering.
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Bored Panda interviewed Eden Lobo, a counselor and psychology professor, to gain a deeper perspective on the matter. She mentioned that ignoring mental health issues can lead to the intensification of symptoms such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, or intrusive thoughts, making the condition harder to manage over time.
Folks were also furious that the couple was forcing her to bond with her stepmother and refer to her as her “real mom”. They found it ridiculous as this would add to her struggles. Even Prof. Lobo said that genuine, healthy relationships need to be built on mutual respect and understanding, and if a stepparent’s role is imposed rather than developed naturally, it can strain their bond with the child.
People also felt that the couple was completely erasing her mother’s identity from her mind and they found it highly disturbing. According to Prof. Lobo, “The psychological impact of one parent trying to erase the other’s identity from a teen’s mind can lead to long-lasting emotional and relational difficulties.”
“The teen might be forced to navigate complex feelings of loss, loyalty, and identity in an unhealthy environment. The constant emotional tension can overwhelm the teen’s ability to cope effectively.” The more we understand things, it just seems like a really aggravating issue that needs to be resolved.
Even the Redditors advised the teen to get professional help and check for free resources. Some even said that she could ask her grandpa for help, but most agreed that the healthiest thing would be for her to leave the house as soon as she is old enough as they felt that staying with the neglectful couple might just create more problems.
We asked Prof. Lobo about what advice she would give to any teen stuck in a similar situation and she mentioned a few steps that teens could take. “If you don’t find support from your family, reach out to trusted adults, seek professional help, contact support organizations, develop coping strategies, educate yourself, set boundaries, plan for independence from toxicity, or explore online resources.”
What did you make of the story? Let us know in the comments!
Folks online jumped to her side and expressed their sympathies to her, they also advised her to leave the house as soon as she’s old enough and take care of her mental health
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What do you think ?
Lantana Howell 3 months ago
Please reach out to child protective services before you have a huge mental health crisis. Your dad and step-monster are denying you access to healthcare services that you obviously need.
StretcherBearer 3 months ago
I was going to say something similar. They are withholding medical treatment for the child. I hope they can get the help needed. This is heartbreaking.
Load More Replies...
Janelle Collard 3 months ago (edited)
I hope someone at OP's school can help. That poor kid! To know there's a problem + nobody supports them. :(
Insomniac 3 months ago
Been there. A compassionate GP who had the guts to stand up to my extremely stubborn parents saved my life. I am crying for this kid.
Load More Replies...
Melissa anderson 3 months ago
Her father and his wife are abusing her by actively ignoring her inherited mental health problems. They are pushing her away and when she becomes a legal adult, she will go no contact with them.
Insomniac 3 months ago
The right prosecutor may be able to get them on a charge of medical neglect, depending on where they live. In many places, it is illegal to deny medical care to your child. If the child dies, it can get really ugly. There have been several rather famous cases in my province the past decade. One was religious extremist parents who owned a natural-health company refusing to take a toddler to be properly treated for meningitis until he stopped breathing, then expected the ambulance and hospital to revive and save him. A******s. Another was religious extremist parents who refused to accept that their son had Type 1 Diabetes and moved around to dodge child protective services. The boy died at age 15, weighing 37 lbs. Parents were found guilty of first-degree mu**er. I haven't seen a mental health case of that nature go to trial, but I think the precedent should be set. Parental beliefs should not come above a child's right to health care.
Load More Replies... Lantana Howell 3 months ago
Please reach out to child protective services before you have a huge mental health crisis. Your dad and step-monster are denying you access to healthcare services that you obviously need.
StretcherBearer 3 months ago
I was going to say something similar. They are withholding medical treatment for the child. I hope they can get the help needed. This is heartbreaking.
Load More Replies... Janelle Collard 3 months ago (edited)
I hope someone at OP's school can help. That poor kid! To know there's a problem + nobody supports them. :(
Insomniac 3 months ago
Been there. A compassionate GP who had the guts to stand up to my extremely stubborn parents saved my life. I am crying for this kid.
Load More Replies... Melissa anderson 3 months ago
Her father and his wife are abusing her by actively ignoring her inherited mental health problems. They are pushing her away and when she becomes a legal adult, she will go no contact with them.
Insomniac 3 months ago
The right prosecutor may be able to get them on a charge of medical neglect, depending on where they live. In many places, it is illegal to deny medical care to your child. If the child dies, it can get really ugly. There have been several rather famous cases in my province the past decade. One was religious extremist parents who owned a natural-health company refusing to take a toddler to be properly treated for meningitis until he stopped breathing, then expected the ambulance and hospital to revive and save him. A******s. Another was religious extremist parents who refused to accept that their son had Type 1 Diabetes and moved around to dodge child protective services. The boy died at age 15, weighing 37 lbs. Parents were found guilty of first-degree mu**er. I haven't seen a mental health case of that nature go to trial, but I think the precedent should be set. Parental beliefs should not come above a child's right to health care.
Load More Replies...
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