Let's talk life: Crying spells

Yvonnie Bailey- Davidson, Gleaner Writer

Dear Counsellor:

I find that I am crying a lot these days. I broke up with my boyfriend lately and since then I have been sad and tearful. We were together for eight years and he became unfaithful.

I can hardly sleep at night and I am not eating. I don't know what to do.

- Kelli-ann

Dear Kelli-ann:

It is painful to break up a relationship. Trust and confidence are gone and you may feel rejected and abandoned. You will feel angry and upset as all your dreams have been destroyed.

Getting depressed is part of the response to a loss. The depression will pass with time, but you will have to find ways to cope. You will always remember the boyfriend. However, the pain attached to the memory will diminish with time.

Depression is painful and many times one may need counselling and/or medication. The most likely explanation for the depression is the break-up, but you need to see your doctor for a general check-up.

Relationships can be stressors. If the relationship was stressful, maybe it was best that it ended. If your symptoms persist, you will need treatment for the depression. Remember that life goes on and you may find a better person for a partner.

My motherforgets things

Dear Counsellor:

My mother is getting forgetful and aggressive. She doesn't remember names or details. Sometimes she wanders from the house and we have great difficulty finding her. She doesn't eat well and wakes up in the nights. Her sleep is fragmented in the nights and she is restless in the days.

- Sally

Dear Sally:

How old is your mother? Her symptoms are suggestive of dementia. Some dementia is treatable so you need to take her for assessment by a doctor. We need to rule out thyroid problems, anaemia or a brain tumour. Vitamin B12 deficiency is treatable and so it is important to check for this.

Dementia is treated with medication that slows the progression of the disorder. You will need to employ someone to monitor your mother daily. Two persons can look after her in separate 12-hour shifts. She will need to be watched closely to prevent her wandering away.

Problems with appetite and sleep will need to be dealt with. There are certain foods that she likes, so you should give her those in combinations. Your mother will have to be fed daily, and this may take time. Prepare nutritious meals and have someone feed her. Give her adequate fluids daily. Keep her occupied in the days so that she will be tired in the nights. You may need sleep aids to help her to rest at nights.

There are nursing homes that cater to patients with dementia. You may consider the option of placing your mother in a nursing home.

Email questions and comments for Dr Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson at yvonniebd@hotmail.com or call her at 978-8602.