I live in hostel away from home. When I came home this Diwali holidays I see my father all changed like in a way that he has a mental problem. Makes my mother's life miserable. We don't have much money but he thinks that he is very wealthy. He sold my mother's gold and invested in business my mother didn't protest it. He doesn't has regular sleep cycles no regular eating patterns and gets angry all the time I know he loves us deep down but when his mental condition strikes he is like a different man he has this problem from last 20 years this condition strikes once or twice a year and he is like this for two or three months and spends money like a crazy person all this family chaos has gave me a depression and I am not able to focus on my studies.

Dr. Saranya DevanathanPsychiatrist47yrs exp

96% (1779 ratings)

Ask Free Question

Dear lybrate-user, Most probably your father is suffering from a Bipolar Affective Disorder - presently in mania. It is recurrent biochemical disorder of mind, runs in families, self limiting by itself. During mania he may be talking too much, spending too much, irritable and over confident of all his business, etc. It lasts fro few months and he becomes normal for few more months, Because it spoils his financial status, name and prestige, we need to treat him with tranquilizers. The other pole of this bipolar disorder is depression where he will bad and sad for his losses, lacks confidence, irritable, no energy, no interest not only in business but also in tv, news or other pleasurable things. Since suicidal risk is high in this phase, we need to treat with antidepressants. Since it is a recurrent disorder, we need to prevent future episodes, by prescribing mood stabilizers for a long term. He may not be willing for treatment in this manic phase, so you consult a psychiatrist along with your mother and discuss how to being him to treatment. During a normal or depressive phase, he himself will go to psychiatrist. Let him take your mother so that the mood chart can be reported to the doctor. Since this bipolar disorder runs in families, you may be vulnerable for depression. Don't blame your father's behaviour for your depression. He will be blaming his business partners or your mother. Blame either heredity or the biochemistry, and get into treatment early before it damages your studies or career. All the best.  

2 person found this helpful