Nowadays, there is not complete investigation on how mental illness affects relationships. If you are in a relationship where your partner has a mental illness, it often gets to a point where the stress levels reach a crisis level.
What makes it even worse is the fact that the symptoms of mental illness are confusing and off-putting. If it’s the first time dealing with mental illness, you’ll tend to feel like your partner is irrational, irritable, distracted, or lazy. It’s even common to blame your partner for not being as charming as he or she seemed when you first met, especially if you met your partner on one of the best dating sites. But it’s not always their fault. Some of the “character flaws” you’re noticing are probably signs of mental illness.
Be Informed on the Importance of Self-Care
Many people may consider self-care as selfish, but it’s not! Understand that it’s an essential step if you are to win the mental illness vs. mental health fight. If you aren’t paying attention to your health, you’ll hardly help your partner manage their condition. This, in turn, puts your relationship in jeopardy.
Some of the crucial mental illness facts that will help advance self-care include; doing regular physical activities, spending time with your loved ones, and getting enough sleep. It would help if you were careful not to reach a point where you experience “caregiver fatigue” as it’s common for couples whose partners have a mental illness.
Keep on Learning
If you are not well informed on the causes of mental illness, you can easily be swayed by inaccurate information from friends, family, or even the internet. You’ll find a lot of misleading information, especially when trying to find out; mental illness can be prevented. For well-informed mental illness information, it is best to get in touch with a high quality medical or psychological professional.
You should also source information about the condition from reputable websites highly recommended by medical illness professionals. Remember that mental illness patients can achieve better outcomes by combining medication and therapy.
Blame Game Only Worsen an Already Delicate Condition
Mental illness can cause serious relationship conflicts, especially if there is a constant blame game. Mental illness health experts believe that blaming is a hindrance to fulfilling relationships for anyone living with a partner with mental illness. The blame game is an unhealthy dynamic in any relationship which should be counteracted by a mutual understanding. This can be achieved if couples embrace the need to express curiosity over judgment.
Take time to ask your partner open-ended questions and listen to what they have to say. You probably may not like their response, but understanding their feelings is better than ignoring reality. Not paying attention to what your partner is feeling can be detrimental. Try always to make an effort even if you’re tackling the problematic side of their mental illness.
Be Open to Couples Counseling
If you are always disturbed with issues such as: which mental illness is the worst or how to cope with your condition, a counselor can come in handy. Such professionals’ role is to help put perspective, guidance, and balance in a situation that is almost getting out of hand. Therapy is an important step because it enables you to learn how to trust your partner and find support in your relationship.
Learn How to Cope and Communicate With Your Partner
When you’re with someone with a mental illness, you’re highly likely to experience heightened emotions (anger, frustration, and hate). With proper counseling, such painful emotions can be easily explored productively. Couples even learn how to set healthy boundaries and expectations.
Sympathy and Support Goes a Long Way
If you’ve just been diagnosed with mental illness, the news can be frightening, embarrassing, and intimidating. Uncertainty around the condition can make your partner believe that you don’t desire them. As your partner battles mental illness, you should assure them that you’ll be there for them, irrespective of their current state of health.
Such reassurance goes a long way in strengthening their determination to get the medical help they need. Any negative feelings from you can end up worsening the condition by bringing feelings of hopelessness.
Don’t Be Your Partner’ Enabler
It’s never your responsibility to be your partner enabler or therapist. Your role is to provide support and love on their road to recovery. Regardless of your partner’s mental illness, they are still responsible for managing their well-being and being productive in different spheres of their lives.
They need to take responsibility for their treatment and well-being by learning how the illness affects those around them.
Learn How To Deal With Mental Illness in a Relationship!
If you are in a relationship, you shouldn’t let mental illness ruin your love life, especially now that mental illness and COVID 19 are becoming a challenge across the world. If your partner has a mental illness, it’s best to have a normal reaction and response to any unexpected situation.
Remember that if anything gets out of hand, you should contact a mental illness hotline in your area.
Are you in a relationship where your partner has a mental illness? How do you cope with this problem? Let us know your experiences in the comment section below.
