7 Ways To Cope With Your Partner With Mental Illness
Mental illness can be very hard on families and relationships. We all can feel a bit down from time to time, but real mental illness can be very damaging. If your partner has a mental illness, read these tips on how to deal with it. It is important to remember that their illness is not anybody´s fault and your support can help them greatly.
1. Educate yourself
Mental illnesses are sometimes quite hard to understand. The sooner you find out all the information about it, the easier it is going to be for you to cope with it.
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When you understand your partner´s illness, you will be able to help them better. Creating environment they need, giving the necessary moral support and understanding how to act in critical situations is crucial for their well being.
2. Adjust your expectations
Mental illness is something that your partner has and probably will have to deal with for the rest of their life. You need to understand that. Having unrealistic expectations about their recovery will not help either of you.
If you push your partner too hard, they can get worse. Also, if you are hoping for the best when there is no chance of things getting better will only make you feel terrible.
3. Ask for help
You might think that you are capable of anything. You don’t want to ask for help because that would make you feel weak. Although it is important to be strong for your partner, remember that you are only human. You can´t do everything on your own. Simply asking help from your friends and family or hiring a professional can have a major impact on both you and your partner´s life.
4. Let them be
Diagnosing a mental disorder can be shocking for both you and your partner. You might feel the need to be overprotective and help them with everything. Very often people with mental health issues have low self-esteem, because they feel helpless and like they have lost all control in their lives.
You might mean well when you are trying to take all responsibilities on your shoulders, but that can make things worse for your partner. Give them control over things and let them be who they are.
5. Work with them
If you are willing to help your partner´s mental health issues, you will have to work with their medical team. It will help you to talk to a professional and know how to deal with different situations. Also you can encourage your partner to talk to their medical specialists if there is something wrong. It is also very important for you to set some limits.
Your partner can have their choices, but if these choices are harmful to you, your partner and society, it should not be allowed. Following your partners medications and correctly responding to their emotions can be the right way to keep things in control.
6. Continue to communicate openly
Your partner´s mental illness can be hard on you and people around them. You have to remember that it is ok to feel emotional about it. Sometimes you will feel helpless or angry, but all those feelings are normal.
Your partner´s illness is not a topic that needs to be avoided, and you have to feel free to talk about it. On the other hand, you need to learn how not to take things personally and recognize when illness influences them.
7. Be ready to take action
Some mental illnesses can get worse with time. You have to be willing to admit that things have gone out of control and you can´t be of any help to your partner. It is possible that your partner will try to emotionally manipulate you not to take strict measures.
You have to be ready to recognize when your partner is not able to make decisions on their own and take action on their behalf.
See also:
- 6 Reasons Why Early Marriages Fail
- 5 Reasons To Love Being Single
- Ways To Conquer Your 10 Biggest Marriage Fears