Psychological experiences reported by offsprings of mothers with bipolar disorder: A clinical-qualitative study in a Brazilian university outpatient service

Abstract

Introduction

Children of patients with bipolar disorder are at increased risk of developing psychopathology and psychosocial difficulties.

Objectives

To understand the emotional experiences of adult children of mothers with bipolar disorder.

Method

Qualitative study, using in-depth semi-directed interviews with open-ended questions, sample closed by saturation information criteria, content analysis, discussion under psychodynamic concepts.

Results

From interviewees’ reports, it can be seen that offspring's experiences emotional vulnerability, such as directions given by early exposure to self injurious behaviour, psychiatric hospitalizations, routine absences from home and consequent perception of helplessness, especially in periods of the mother's crisis. The findings suggest that for the children the insecurity to assume the precociously inverted responsibility regarding the need of care to mother seems to experience by them as an entrapment to the care of the mother, for the effort they make to keep them alive, with an emotional burden due to both impaired childhood and adolescent.

Conclusion

It was analyzed the assumption that the evolution of reactive psychological stages regarding the mother affected by a mental illness marked by bipolarity manifestations, alternating with phases of the normality of psychic manifestations, would follow the evolution of the oscillating psychological stages of his/her own mother, which minimizes often both the disease and the treatment during the phases of remission of manifestations.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.