absent parents until the age of 6

due to my mental illnesses i was unable to care or my self so my mother in law stepped up and raised my son until he was 6. However i was still present for most important things. I worked all the time at night and slept most the day because i was depressed to no end, my anxieties took a hold on me very tightly. Recently my mother in law went back to work so i have been taking care of my son more now, i feel lost because i dont know how he likes certain things and he has his own mental illnesses that make it so he does not know how to tell me certain things. i recently relapsed and got so depressed i did not want to go on so i backed away and only did his morning care before school. I was pushed this time to get the help i need. I want to be a good mother but it is very hard with what i deal with and now helping him with his mental illness.

any advice would appreciated!

Here are links to some articles from PsychCentral's archives that may be of some assistance:

https://psychcentral.com/lib/tips-fo...ental-illness/

https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to...ental-illness/

https://blogs.psychcentral.com/bipol...ental-illness/

If your son is going to school, see if you can get help there. Check with a counselor. They have a requirement by law to help kids with mental illness through special education laws.

You can check with your son's pediatrician for resources in your area for parenting and treating mental illness for your son if he is not already in treatment. Good luck.