A Dundee woman has revealed how she became psychotic after discovering her father was sexually abusing her children.
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/mums-shock-after-her-dundee-dad-convicted-of-abusing-her-three-daughters-for-eight-years/
In part two of an exclusive interview with the Tele, Mary spoke about how her life changed after her father was jailed.
Mary was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, severe depression and anxiety and went psychotic for 24 hours.
She said: “I tried to commit suicide twice and I’ve still got the scars.
“I had a nervous breakdown in 2012 and was arrested because I hit a police officer who I thought was my father.”
She added: “I was seeing him everywhere. I was handcuffed and put in the back of a police van.
“It was awful. They kept the cuffs on me for four hours and my partner begged the officers to take them off because it was making me more wound-up.
“I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t think and cried a lot. I went absolutely crazy.”
Mary was admitted to the Carseview Centre shortly after her arrest and one incident still stands out to her.
She said: “One time I had a hole in my leggings which I kept ripping.
“My adopted mother was visiting me at the time.
“I just looked at her and said: ‘My dad is going to rape me for the rest of my life because I told on him’.
“At the time, I was so depressed and saw everything in black. I was in absolute lockdown.”
Although Mary suffered in the aftermath of her father’s conviction, she is now on the road to recovery.
She said: “If I’m determined enough, I can do anything.
“I did a college course called Women Into Secure Employment which really helped me.”
Mary now works as a part-time chef, saying her job has given her positivity.
She added: “It’s about getting up and getting dressed.
“I motivated myself to go to the gym because I knew I had to move more.
“Every day I kicked myself because I was in a dark place.
“I’ve got so many things I want to do with my life.”
Mary has been writing a book about her life which she hopes will be finished next year.
She is also planning her wedding after getting engaged.
*The names in this article have been changed to protect the victims’ identities.