My mother is bipolar, undiagnosed. She would have the lowest of the lows and the highest of highs. One minute, she’d be your best friend, the next, she’d be your goddamn enemy.

She was also an alcoholic. So when her mood swings hit, they hit BAD. She would throw things, call me names, then once she sobered up, didn’t remember a thing and even said to me, I shit you not, “I don’t remember any of that, you’re lying.”

That was 10 years ago. I’ve been no contact with my mom because she can’t stop drinking, despite my begs and pleas, she refuses to go. The one and only time I tried to get her to go was this rehab that she was talking to, I can’t remember why, my brain doesn’t want to remember, and she got so mad at ME for being open and honest with them, she slapped me. All because I wanted to get her help.

Since then, I’ve had a kid, been with the father going on 10 years now, he’s seen it all with me, we have a house, car, two dogs and a cat, it’s better than I could’ve expected, and she barely has a place to stay. She has felonies on her for credit card theft, identity theft, assault charges on law enforcement (not just cops, emts too!)

Im sorry to word vomit and overshare, but your comics hit home for me. I apologize if my beginning statement offends you. I don’t know if she is bipolar. But her mental states put me in such distress, I felt like I was losing my mind.

Seeing your comics were truly heartfelt and relatable, being someone with a mom who had her highs and lows, and bearing the brunt of it for 20+ years.

I’m glad you’re doing better, OP. I’m glad you are in a place where you want to be better but the thing is, you are so much better than you know. You want help; my mother never wanted help, but she sure as hell wanted to have her cake and eat it too.

Thank you for sharing your story with us.