Who grew up with a mother on tranquillizers?

My mother was on tranquillizers nearly all her life. I didn't have the luxury of a softer world. I didn't even have my mum because she was stolen from me. She went to the doctors for help and they helped her stay with an abusive man.
Anyone else know this story??

reply to post by Itisnowagain


dude I'm sorry to hear this. I'm sure this has happened to quite a few people. prescription drug abusers are an epidemic in this country. The idea of numbing the pain is very appealing to a lot of people. But be honest with yourself your issue isn't with the drug or the doctor its with your mother. If it wasn't pills it would be booze or maybe something else.

reply to post by Itisnowagain

My Dad had a relationship with a woman that had been on Valium for 10 years. Something that was supposed to be a temporary "mental crutch" to help her through whatever crisis she was having at the time became a permanent feature in her life. He didn't stay with her long (not sure if it was just the pills) but her day was a fairly medicated and reclusive one. Sad.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


Yep, they were the thing before the advent of "sleeping" pills.

reply to post by digital01anarchy

Some people react differently. My stepmother for example, was prescribed a short course of anti-depressants when her son committed suicide aged 23. I think she tried 2 pills, she didn't like the feeling and didn't take any more. She just kept on going even though she really was out of her mind in the first couple of weeks after hearing about her son's death.

Disclaimer; I was young and curious and tried her pills (I did ask her first). The feeling was just like being a mental zombie for 4 hours. Time slowed, as did the thought processes and I would guess for those in a certain state, the mental anguish of whatever it was they were thinking/worrying about. But, they must be a temporary thing as most of the anti-depressant type meds are habit forming within a few weeks.

reply to post by digital01anarchy


No, it is not down to my mother.
I watched a tv program last night about the streets of England and in a place called Deptford in London the government decieded to knock down streets of houses and put people in high rise flats. The women became very depressed, crying etc and the doctors had just brought out a new pill so they were expected to take it.
Keep calm and carry on!!!

Maybe she would have left him and found happiness if she had not been sedated.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by Itisnowagain

 

My Dad had a relationship with a woman that had been on Valium for 10 years. Something that was supposed to be a temporary "mental crutch" to help her through whatever crisis she was having at the time became a permanent feature in her life. He didn't stay with her long (not sure if it was just the pills) but her day was a fairly medicated and reclusive one. Sad.

Valium is very additive! It seems you have an issue with your mother let me say this you don't know her reasons of why she wanted to kill the pain and you didn't have to live though her emotions"aka feel what she felt" There is always a reason why people escape reality and its a fight they must fight them selves to get back to reality. Its usually a double edged sword on one end you kill the pain and memories on the other end when reality hits again you have to deal with so much crap piled up you just drowned it out by diving back into the happy world instead of dealing with it. some people never escape the shame of it!

Tell your mother you forgive her of anything she felt wrong about when you where growing up. tell her, her mental health is important to you, That she needs to forgive herself to heal when you catch her in reality even if it only for a moment. Give her a hug then cross your fingers and hope. Love heals it really does remember your mother carried you loved you enough to give birth to you she would have probably killed for you or died for you. The lest you can do is forgive life is too short

Your common american is on....

-a nerve pill(ativan or xanax)
-anti-depressant(pick one prozac, zoloft, paxil etc..)
-sleeping pill(ambien)
-a pain pill if you're lucky(hydrocodone, percecet, oxycottin)

Quite the cocktail!

reply to post by Itisnowagain


How is she doing now?

reply to post by Itisnowagain


I know this story all to well. My mom was on Valium and Fioricets(barbiturate) for approximately 20+ yrs. It all began when her daughter (my sis) and her Mom both died in a house fire. After that she was never the same, I was 12yrs old at this time and she stayed in bed 24/7 The medical profession did not try to help her they just kept prescribing her drugs and more drugs. Well 30 yrs later she is in a medical facility with Alzheimer's, which I believe was caused by the abuse of pharmaceutical. It really pisses me off that they were so freaking flippant and careless and kept her drugged for years. I am so totally against pharmaceuticals, I hate taking ibuprofen or any other drugs. The medical profession didn't care about her at all, they just wanted to shut her up and send her home, she finally quit them when she was in her sixties but it was too late for her, she started not recognizing her own kids, my brother would be sitting near her and she would say where's Shawn? She would drive and forget where she was going or how to get there, now she isn't walking or feeding herself, so f'd up!! I hope any one hooked on any pharmaceuticals will throw them out. Blessings to all who have had to deal with this issue. Love Tina

reply to post by digital01anarchy


I have no issue with my mother. I have understanding and compassion for anyone who is on them and for anyone who has grown up with a parent on tranquillizers. Tranquillizers effect the whole family.

My mother was a hamster and my father smelt of elderberries...

I couldn't resist.

My mother never took anything but Goody Powders but my father drank like a fish. As did my grandfather and now my brother. My father has been sober for years, but my only childhood memories of him are staring at his back as he was passed out on the couch.

Sometimes these things can make us stronger and sometimes they can break us. My brother hasn't been sober in over 2 decades. 3 marriages out the door, no real friends, and a bad name at only 39. While I, on the other hand stopped drinking before I was even legally old enough to do it in the first place because I didn't want to raise my kids the same way or live my life in a haze.

I guess it depends on the person and the situation on how they take it and live their life, or how they let it ruin their life.

reply to post by InfoKartel


Thank you for asking.
She has passed now. She is at peace.

Most definitely, we can allow something else to control us or fight it with all your worth. It really takes a lot of mind control doesn't it? I think it is easier sometimes just to let go, but now that I am older I will not let anything control me at least nothing within my power to change.

reply to post by digital01anarchy

No issues with my stepmom. I am not her son, it was her biological son that committed suicide. But the woman on Valium was another woman my Dad met. They didn't stay together long and I have no idea why she was on the pills in the first place but I would imagine some major event in her past.

I can't tell my (real) Mother a thing, she is not alive anymore.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


I'm sorry to hear that, take care friend, I don't know whats worse, a mom who has passed or one that doesn't have a clue who the hell you are, it is heartbreaking and ongoing. We are just watching her die slowly, so sad.

I had 3 sisters, one died in 1981 and my mother has been on ativan ever since. She is not a zombie, but relies on that small dose daily. I was on Xanax amd Vicodin for 3 years of hellish back problems, after surgery I quit. Vicodin was easy but Xanax was HELL!!! And I didnt even take much. Stay away from any Benzodiazapine, they rewire your brain and withdraw is very unpleasant.

reply to post by mckeesport


I had wisdom teeth out and they gave me darvocet, can't take the Hydrocodone, this # messes with your mind, I took a pill or two and then said screw this, my head was literally messed up. I couldn't imagine being hooked on these things!

reply to post by TM62


Sorry to hear that Tina.
Yes, the doctors just keep giving the tablets to shut them up.
My mother died of pancreatic cancer, well complications with the removal of the organ. I don't know but i'm pretty sure all those tablets didn't help. Ever since i knew her she had loads of tablets to take each day. When she died it was unbelievable how many there were that had to be disposed of.

We are expected to be a certain way. We are expected to be happy. If we are not happy we think there is something wrong with us.
And now the doctors say you can be happy if you take this pill.
Humans have learned to fear unhappiness.
You must be happy.
Be good and be happy.

Or someone will say 'What is wrong with you?'.
Then you can look to see what is wrong with you.
But there is nothing wrong with you.

You are perfect.