Mentally ill - but you start a family anyway?

[Default to the negative]

I'm sick in the head but my one redeeming feature is that I would never inflict myself on a woman or a child.

Yet some of you insist on doing this. What good do you think can come of it?

[Twit 2]

What a horrible idea for a thread!

[Cuellar]

[Default to the negative]

No it's a nice idea though.

[Urinal Cake]

I think there was a study a few years back saying creative people often had a family history of mental illness. Take Byron for example. Father was 'Mad Jack', history of suicide on his mother's side. Byron was still saner than they were and obviously more talented. Then he had a daughter who wasn't mentally ill but was a great lady mathematician and programmer.

I suppose the bet is your descendants will be great.

[Flouncer]

Haha, I was just going to mention Kilroy!

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

What a horrible idea for a thread!

Shut it you mental kids bastard

[Buelligan]

[Default to the negative]

What does this mean? Does it mean I'm being a moody overgrown teenager like Gervais in his After Life series? Or does it mean that mentally ill parents would produce a child like Ricky?

Whatever it means, I'm sure I resent the implication.

[Noonling]

There are so many reasons I wouldn't start a family, but I think mental illness is #1 (climate change etc comes at #2). Not that there's more than moderate depression in my family, but my depression would make me a crappy parent. Simple as that. I guess people with more manageable mental health could do it and be an okay parent but...why take the risk?

[Cuellar]

I'm depressed but I reckon I could do parenting. It'll be fine, don't worry about it!

If it gets too much just do what my mum did and just shut yourself away in your bedroom for days at a time without explaining.

[Buelligan]

What does this mean? Does it mean I'm being a moody overgrown teenager like Gervais in his After Life series? Or does it mean that mentally ill parents would produce a child like Ricky?

Whatever it means, I'm sure I resent the implication.

Have you considered the possibility that it has nothing to do with you at all?

[Default to the negative]

Yes I see that now. It was an intimate exchange between you and Shoulders. Sorry, I just assume that everything is about me when we're in one of my threads. I didn't know you two were passing notes in class.

[Icehaven]

That made me wonder what he's up to these days, and it's deeply warming to see he was last heard of appearing on Loose Women in 2011 promoting his new career as a novelist, and in the intervening years he's had precisely nothing published except two self published Kindle only books which from the (appalling written) blurbs seem weirdly obsessed with sexual abuse. 

[Neville Chamberlain]

That made me wonder what he's up to these days, and it's deeply warming to see he was last heard of appearing on Loose Women in 2011 promoting his new career as a novelist, and in the intervening years he's had precisely nothing published except two self published Kindle only books which from the (appalling written) blurbs seem weirdly obsessed with sexual abuse.

He's also a dickhead.

[NoSleep]

Surely not planning a family in the world today is the ultimate sanity?

[Ray Travez]

He's also a dickhead.

Shaft!

[Buelligan]

Yes I see that now. It was an intimate exchange between you and Shoulders. Sorry, I just assume that everything is about me when we're in one of my threads. I didn't know you two were passing notes in class.

Interesting.  How do you feel about being the teacher in this scenario?

[Default to the negative]

Interesting.  How do you feel about being the teacher in this scenario?

I won't tolerate secret messages and socialist subversions in my classroom. I'll have Shoulders up to the desk, bent over it and trousers down, m'laddio, ready for six of the very best.

Of course, this is not for girls to see. Buelligan will be sent away. You go and play outside girl.

For twenty seconds I stand and wait - waiting for the sound of your footsteps to fade away to the end of the corridor. When I here the far door click shut behind you, I turn to Shoulders, mop the sweat from my brow and say:

'And now I think we'll have your pants down too.'

[Buelligan]

Well, it's a good thing you're not in charge then, isn't it.

[Default to the negative]

Well, it's a good thing you're not in charge then, isn't it.

Which just brings us back to my point of why I should never be a dad.

[garbed_attic]

Good comic on this by the brilliant Emily Flake:

https://thenib.com/it-s-all-in-the-family?id=emily-flake&t=author

[Icehaven]

I expect parenting psychology has an equivalent of the Dunning Krueger effect in that some appalling parents who have inflicted untold psychological damage on their children won't blame themselves and will certainly never have questioned wether or not they should have even been parents in the first place.

[Hey, Punk!]

Stupid cunt - but you start a thread anyway?

[Buelligan]

I have a serious question.  What would you do if you had a close friend, someone who you had supported over many, many, years, this person has mental health issues, a single parent with a small child (particularly when it comes to protecting the interests of that child). 

I've tried unstinting practical support (using my day off to clean their house, supporting the child and so on) and acceptance. love, listening (within the limits of my time not already occupied by work). 

I feel like I've reached a point where I have to say something firm (but realise this will almost certainly not change anything and might make things worse).  TBH, I live in fear that they might kill themselves, if I don't help, if I'm not there for them whenever they need me. 

This person is seeing a therapist and is supported by their parents/doctor etc and will not take medication because they "don't want to get fat".  I feel uncomfortable even posting this but it's driving me slightly mad, so fuck it.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I expect parenting psychology has an equivalent of the Dunning Krueger effect in that some appalling parents who have inflicted untold psychological damage on their children won't blame themselves and will certainly never have questioned wether or not they should have even been parents in the first place.

Oh definitely, if the passive-aggressive 'don't tell me how to parent' facebook posts are anything to go by.

[Default to the negative]

Stupid cunt - but you start a thread anyway?

That's kind of my style. I'm sorry if you have a special belief system where the starting of threads is a sacred and inviolable ritual, only to be undertaken by the most devout of forumists.

I have a serious question.

I have had a similiar problem, not exactly the same. I made a thread about it, which I regretted making, but nevertheless people kindly gave me advice.

Problem is, all the advice hinges on getting the person themselves to fully, 100% acknowledge their problem. And how do you make that happen? You can't, really.

[chveik]

didn't stop my dad. and look where I am now, posting on a comedy forum like there's no tomorrow!

Buelligan, the situation you're describing is really awful. I'm a moody cunt too and I can understand that someone wouldn't want to take medication, so I really don't know what you should do about it.

[confettiinmyhair]

What about someone without any Mental Health problems prior to pregnancy who develops  Mental illness after giving birth?

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

What about someone without any Mental Health problems prior to pregnancy who develops  Mental illness after giving birth?

Gassed