Keeping mum: Living with a mother's depression

Dejected: Emotional abuse can sow the seeds of self-hatred in a young child.

What is life like growing up with a mother who is suffering from depression? A reader shares her story.

CHAOS defined my life during my growing up years. My childhood was anything but predictable. Mum has a family history of depression and anxiety. It was difficult having a parent who was walking around like a ticking time bomb. You never know when she was going to explode. All I could do as a child was to try as best as I could to prevent an explosion.