My mother was bipolar and not on medication. She was also a compulsive liar. When on a rant she would beat us and tell my Dad we were lieing. We grew up during the time when men would have never been awarded custody of children over a mother. When need be, mother would charm the pants off people. Those not living with her, or knowing her well thought she was the nicest, most generous, etc. person. Yes, she could be generous. If she was angry with us she would take a less fortunate child in the community out and buy them new clothes instead of us and tell us how much better and more deserving those children were. I could go on. I was fortunate enough to live next door to my best friend who had a "normal" family. THey included me in many of the things they did and my friend was the prettiest and most popular girl in school and always included me. They helped me to be more normal than Mom. God watched over me and steered in the the direction of people who were positive role models and helped me to become whole. I, am far from perfect.., but I try to be the best I can be. I can forgive my mother because she had medical issues, but she only received treatment for them after my father's death and when she was diagnosed with alzheimer's and I took over her care. She had repeatedly called to report my father missing, and finally called the FBI to form a task force to find him in the wooded acreage around their home. Upon contacting state and local police finally someone was notified that my Dad had been dead for several years. At that point Mom was either going to have to go to a mental hospital for observation willing or forceablely taken by the police. After 24 days in the unit and counseling with the head of the psychiatric unit whe was released into my care with a mandatory lockdown condition (because of flight risk) ( we have an alarm system in our home). I still have many things that I cannot forget. Another example - my husband was not the choice my mother had made for me...she had chosen another you man who she could manipulate. My husband was a lot smarter than I was and never argued with her..he remained polite, but did not like how she treated either of us. One summer afternoon my husband had come to pick me up for a date and had his best friend with him. We were going to pick up the other girl after we left my house. Mom was in the back yard watering flowers and saw bother guys. I went outside to tell her I was leaving. She responded by turning the hose on me, accusing my husband ofsharing me with his friends and telling me I was all wet. Those are a few memories of my childhood. I deeply loved my Dad, but he didn't cross her very often because of the consequences we would all pay for when he did.