About Sonia
Sonia Beldom
Sonia Beldom
Sonia Beldom is the daughter of a mischievous, hilariously insightful and loving mother who had multiple mental health issues. Years of erratic behaviour led to Margaret being sectioned and diagnosed for the first time with depression, bi-polar, frontal lob abnormality, BPD, anxiety and early-onset dementia at 80. She was from a generation of women who went un-noticed and ignored in the 60s and 70s when we didn’t discuss mental health issues openly.
“I want to share these deeply personal and funny stories so that we can raise awareness for how challenging it is for many people who’ve had mentally ill parents and have struggled to come to terms with their own issues. I’d love it if we could inspire people to re-think their own relationships with their mums and also bring support to young carers who may be going through similar situations.”
It’s a transformational love story between an extraordinary mother and her daughter who adored her – despite the heckling of vicars, being put up for adoption, having leftovers brought to school and surprise dates turning up on the doorstep.
Hear Sonia on Jeremy Vine’s BBC Radio 2 Show
Listen here to Sonia speaking with Jeremy Vine on his BBC Radio 2 show about the blog, her mum’s hilarious antics, taking listener questions and highlighting the issues with growing up with a mentally ill parent.
Tell your story!
My precious mum, Margaret Beldom, passed away peacefully on 12th November. She loved hearing all the stories that people shared about their own lives with people with mental health issues. A new conversation is starting, and it’s extraordinary. Please read “Surprise, surprise” and share some stories of your own.