A 'loving, caring' mum who strived for a better life for her children died after a gruelling 20-year fight with the worst case of bipolar disorder her psychiatrist had ever seen.
Zainab Mohamed, 38, was found in a bathroom at Clock View Mental Health hospital in Walton more than a week after she was admitted. She was taken to Aintree Hospital, where she was placed on life support, and died on June 14, 2021.
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The court heard how Zainab, a mum of two, had voluntarily attended the mental health hospital following several weeks of manic behaviour caused by bipolar disorder and schizoeffective disorder. Bipolar disorder, which used to be known as manic depression, is characterised by extreme mood swings, causing sufferers to experience intense episodes of both hyperactivity and depression.
Her psychiatrist Dr Simon Taverner said: "I have worked for over 30 years, and I don't think I've ever seen a more severe illness of this kind than I saw in Zainab." He added that the student nurse had battled her condition "courageously for many years".
In April 2021, Zainab began showing symptoms of mania following two weeks of "classic depression". She began to feel restless and unable to sit still, could not stop smiling, "felt great", and was getting only three hours sleep each night.
At an inquest into her death today, April 24, her mum Halima said: "Zainab would experience extreme highs and was extremely happy, however she would also experience extreme lows, and that's when she would need support. She would struggle with personal hygiene, cry for no reason, and would spend a lot of time in her room.
"When Zainab was in a very high mood she wouldn't understand why we were fussing over her and would often say 'just let me be happy'."
Zainab continued to experience mania for several weeks despite being prescibed a number of different medications. The court heard she sometimes expressed understanding of her situation, and on May 19 she begged her care team: "Help me please, doctor". She eventually agreed to go into Clock View for the sake of her mum and children.
Halima said: "Zainab was an excellent mum and she doted on her children. She was both mother and father to (her children). She took them on days out and was extremely involved in their school lives. Her children were her everything, and she wanted a better life for them. She inspired her children to do well in education."
However, when she visited the hospital on June 8, she said her daughter "was not herself."
She said: "She was not my Zainab. She seemed in a daze and could not put a spoon to her own mouth to feed herself. She was refusing to eat and refused food from the nursing staff. She seemed to lack awareness and did not think about needing food or drink.
"In Clock View, her children were only allowed to visit once. During that one hour visit, Zainab didn't speak. Zainab seemed to be sedated and was very quiet and reserved, and was not present in her mind."
She added: "I was extremely shocked that Zainab took her own life. She loved her children more than anything in the world and would never have wanted to leave them.
"Zainab was a loving, caring, considerate woman who loved to be with her family. Not only have I lost my daughter and best friend, her children have lost their mother."
The inquest continues.
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