In the show 'My Precious Child,' Lee Sang-in's wife appealed to her husband for help due to serious depression.
On the broadcast of Channel A's 'Yooseum Parenting - My Precious Child' on the 14th, a story was revealed about 'actor Lee Sang-in and a mother on the brink while raising three sons.'
On that day, the couple, Lee Sang-in and his wife, appeared. Lee, who is raising three sons aged 8, 6, and 4, revealed that he returned to his hometown of Miryang six years ago for parenting. However, his wife, 11 years younger and a native of Seoul, noted that she has been exhausted from being a weekend couple for six years and facing isolated parenting in a different city.
Meanwhile, their eldest son, Geumjok, demonstrated advanced English skills, but he also exhibited an inability to concentrate in school and showed distracted behavior, drawing attention. Furthermore, he was experiencing difficulties in peer relationships and communication.
Watching the video, Dr. Oh Eun-young decided to stop the recording to meet Geumjok in person. Afterward, Dr. Oh diagnosed him, saying there are difficulties in communication, suggesting that "it appears to be on the autism spectrum." Previously, Lee Sang-in and his wife had not accepted the autism diagnosis they received at the hospital. His wife cried when confronted with the reality she did not want to accept.
There were other difficulties for this family. When the wife went to welcome her husband, Lee Sang-in, with their three sons, the second son threw a tantrum, and despite her efforts to hold back tears, her distress was evident. When asked when she thought it had become difficult, the wife said, "Since the firstborn was around 6 years old" and expressed, "I sometimes wonder why I am here." Dr. Oh expressed concern, saying, "It is clear that she is very depressed. The red light is on."
Later, during a family outing, the mother tearfully confided to her husband, "I am always tense on weekdays, and when I think about going out, feelings of pressure overwhelm me." At that moment, Lee Sang-in's wife rushed over after realizing the children were playing with the juice machine, but Lee merely said, "It'll be fine" and did not get up. Seeing this, Hong Hyun-hee remarked, "You should have gotten up too, sir."
The mother organized the situation while crying, and Dr. Oh lamented, "All the emotional and physical energy has been completely drained, and now there may as well be holes in the plate."
She continued, "What's concerning is that the mother's depression affects the children as well. When energy is depleted, one cannot cope well at the moment. Discipline needs to be clear, but there's no energy for that, and conversely, there's no energy for times when one should be happy. When depressed, tears keep flowing. The children start to become cautious around their mother. Approximately 40% of older children feel some degree of depression under a depressed mother or father."
Furthermore, she added, "During childhood, parents need to intervene and teach what's wrong, but if children don't learn emotion regulation, they may become aggressive or struggle to form relationships with their peers. Concentration may also decrease."
Throughout the video, Lee Sang-in's wife appeared precarious. She confided to Lee Sang-in, "There was a time when I was so overwhelmed that I drove under a bridge in the early morning and cried alone. There were times when the reality that would repeat when the sun rose felt daunting, and it was very hard."
In particular, Lee Sang-in's wife cried out, "I just came to Miryang believing in you, but 'what did I do wrong? Why am I here?' I want to run away without doing anything. If there is a resignation letter for housewives, I want to submit it." To this, Dr. Oh asked, "If the depression is severe enough to make daily life difficult, you should seek help from the hospital. Have you tried to get help?" The wife replied, "About two years ago, I wanted to go, but I felt ashamed. Just the thought of going in such a small neighborhood was embarrassing for me, and I disliked myself."
Recently, she visited a hospital and said, "I thought I should just endure, but they told me that they typically don't prescribe medication on the first visit; however, my condition was so poor that they decided to prescribe medication immediately. They gave me a few pills, but they made me feel endlessly depressed, and I felt like I couldn't manage parenting, so I stopped after three days. I thought, 'It's my problem; I just need to snap out of it.' I was trying to manage without medication but…"
Dr. Oh reassured her, saying, "This is an extreme parenting situation that exceeds what can be naturally accepted, so not handling it well doesn't mean that you are inept or lacking love for your children, and there's no need to feel ashamed."
She also advised, "Taking medication won't solve the situation, but it helps to balance mental health, enabling you to endure the difficult situation without hitting rock bottom. Therefore, treatment should be continued. You are not a weak person because you are a mother. You have endured this long. Enduring is not the only answer. You are essential for everything to exist. Therefore, it seems necessary to take care of yourself now."
Meanwhile, the wife conveyed her feelings through a video to Lee Sang-in. She stated, "When I think about my marriage to Lee Sang-in, he was the person I initially intended to marry. I know he is trying hard as a father, so I am thankful. I am sorry for making it difficult because of me. If he sees me in a depressed state, it seems our family would suffer more because of me. I think I shouldn't let things remain this way for me and the children. I will do anything. Please help me."
As a result, the studio became a sea of tears, and Shin Aera comforted her by saying, "You don't have to do everything."
[Photo] Capture from the broadcast of 'Yooseum Parenting - My Precious Child'
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