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Help with depression- What would you do?

(5 Posts)
Mammy Mon 02-Jun-25 19:30:50

I’m looking for help / insight / wisdom…. Please be kind this is coming from a place of good but would love another perspective ☺️

My MIL is a lovely woman. Retired early in her late 50’s and had always been vest keen to have grandchildren.

I am the only DIL, she has 3 DS only one married.

MIL has struggled with anxiety & depression for as long as I’ve known her. On medication but outside of that doesn’t utilise any outside influence , exercise , friendships , hobbies etc.

I am really worried for her and her small non existent circle outside of her DH who in general is grumpy & always very awkward in general and doesn’t want to do any social activities without extreme persuasion.

Over the years I try as the DIL to include her in all things child related , pictures , visits & lots of healthy inclusion. When we have had any baby sitting / child minding arrangements over the years (we are 15 mins drive away) have either paid or given a voucher for activities or an event , Christmas holiday vouchers etc and have paid for family trips to include them , it’s important for the kids to have GPs and I know budgets are tighter.

Since retiring the depression has become worse. Life is lived through the news and Facebook. Even though financially there is no huge pot of cash, there is pensions and grants etc that I’ve helped with over the years to ensure they can get the maximum they are owed.

It’s now to the point where I get texts about the kids at 3pm in the day after just waking up, this pattern has been ongoing for years, up all night absorbing everyone’s news and worrying then unable to sleep , the pattern repeats , I’ve had depression so I know the depths it can drag you too so I’m not in sympathetic - what I do see is no “life” nothing to actually make MIL tired, during the day which is mostly spent in bed , in Facebook commenting on every kid picture and relaying stories about the neighbours / aunties dogs kids in an extreme level of detail , but no actually activity, no friends, doesn’t have any hobbies, everything is seen view the world of the “news” and anxiety.

They are exhausted from staying up all night and repeating the cycle , I’ve tried for ma y years , exercise programs, small manageable day trips for fresh air , holidays in the sunshine - all with the kids her happy place and in most paid for so there is no financial strain.

This weekend the anxiety was very high due to DH having a bad day in work, any life event big or small has the same impact - back to bed, 3 days of no sleep, exhaustion and repeat.

I really feel sorry for her. It’s like her best years are being swallowed , no outlet , no life , no enjoyment in all the things she speaks about (from Facebook ) on paper everything is what she wanted grandkids , independence , healthy etc.

My DH has given up , we have had many intervention and tried to keep his own MH in tact, but I still worry for her and find it so sad that everything she wanted she has but the mind set takes over.

Should I just leave it ? Or should I try other tactics to help ? I might be totally unbearable too so open to know what might help if anyone has been in a similar scenario. ☺️

Ziggy62 Mon 02-Jun-25 20:01:11

Can you have a chat with her GP?

Mammy Mon 02-Jun-25 20:18:13

Thank you. Historically yes , helped with in patient treatment etc but the GP has moved practice and I don’t have a relationship with the new one.

I don’t want to brake the privacy / jeopardise a good relationship that I have with MIL .

Ziggy62 Mon 02-Jun-25 20:47:29

I think you still need outside help with her mental health issues
Seems like too much for you to deal with
Sending hugs

Mt61 Tue 03-Jun-25 09:09:16

First of all, what a lovely DIL you sound- Not many would put the effort in like you.
If it’s that bad, maybe there is more going on than depression. Maybe you could coax her to do a self referral to MHT- or if you have a MHT, near- by, maybe give them a call, don’t need to give your DMIs details, see what they suggest. Does sound like she need CBT, but tremendously long waiting times.
Get her to go to the GP, her meds might no longer have any effects, they may change her meds or add a mood stabiliser. Maybe get her come ofF FB Good luck.