rcat actually it's coping skills for me. I have dyslexia and my spelling is horrid, thank goodness for spell check. Sometimes though I can't spell the word close enough to get spell check to give me the spelling so I have to reword everything so sometimes my thought gets lost in translation.

My son's ex-girlfriend has been diagnosed with a number of things. She is also my grandson's mother. My son and grandson live with us and I babysit. I need a better understanding of how to cope. I have managed to stop being drawn in the dramas. I try to stay out of the middle but sometimes the invitation is a test message that sounds almost suicidal so I have to respond. This has been on going for years and I have had very little support. I tried to get help at a number of places locally. My dr, the drop in counselor (got a mental health assessment at that one they said I should relax), the local mental health association. I was told there was an support group like for AA but I can't get anyone to talk to me. My friends don't get it and make suggestions of things that will not work in this situation. So I figured I would try on line.

So anyway she is a part of our lives she loves her son and visits him regularly. When she visits more often than not it is just the three of us. As the baby is only 2 this is an ongoing relationship that I would rather not deteriorate. It worries me when she says that the baby is the only reason she is getting help. She really is a nice kid and problems are all environmental not chemical. Her family is not supportive at all and as far as I can see there has only ever been one person that has been consistently nice to her. That being her grandmother and she has health problems.

Talking about it here has helped. And right now she seems to be doing well but her dr keeps playing with her meds so I can't count on it not being an up and down sort of thing. Over the years it has seemed to me if her life was going too well she would do something to throw a wrench into it. No idea if this is purposeful or not but it is what happens.

This all sometimes makes me feel like a frustrated, bitter, resentful, cranky person. I don't want to be that person. I have tried not to say anything negative about her when her son can hear but that isn't always easy. I know life happens while you are making plans but this is so far out of anything we know. I really can't understand how it all was let go for so long. She has been having problems for more than half her life!!

So hopefully that all made sense. I will look up the info you suggested.