Mental health issues can not only impact an individual’s quality of life, productivity and physical health but also affect a person’s relationships. Living with a person having mental health issues can be challenging, particularly for an intimate relationship. Their mental health may change the dynamics of the relationship while increasing the stress you face in the relationship as well.
There are several reasons why mental health issues in a relationship can be challenging: it can be difficult to depend on your partner for emotional support or various responsibilities like completing their part of household chores. Such experiences may lead to isolation and loneliness. This can lead you to think how to help your significant other while taking care of yourself.
However, it is possible that being in an intimate relationship with someone having mental health issues does not lead to degradation of your bond. It involves identifying the red flags in the relationship and carefully addressing them.
So, how can you recognize the red flags that might be caused by your partner’s mental health issues? Just look out for these indicators in your relationships:
1. Breakdowns in Communication:
Communication can take a huge hit if one partner is facing mental health issues, as they may find it tough to articulate themselves or convey their feelings. Having a conversation can become quite difficult. Moreover, depression and anxiety can cause apathy and mistrust in the couple. It can lead to misunderstandings in the relationship leaving both partners stressed.
Encouraging each other to have a frank and open conversation without judgements can create an open channel of communications while helping the couple work through mental health issues.
2. Resentment and Burnout:
If a relationship is not going as expected due to a partner’s mental health issues, both parties might end up getting worn out from the mistrust and stress. Complete exhaustion of dealing with the constant mental problems can eventually pave the way to feelings of resentment as well.
Therefore, it is essential to remember to rest and take time out from the relationship, giving each other leeway to deal with their own feelings. If both partners empathize that the other needs to rejuvenate and take a break, it can go a long way.
3. Breakdown of Other Relationships:
Each partner in a relationship has to maintain their bond with family and friends rather than only each other. Mental health problems can affect these bonds, if a partner does not want to interact with your friends or family. It can add stress to an already tenuous situation.
In this case, going to therapy and working on your partner’s concerns and reluctance to communicate freely may help alleviate the situation. Getting support from people that your partner might confide in like their friends or siblings might help too.
4. Increased Arguments:
Some arguments in a relationship are ordinary, and even the most loving relationships might experience them from time-to-time. However, mental health issues can lead to escalated tensions and increase the number of arguments in the relationship. This situation can have serious implications on the couple’s understanding and worsen the mental health of both partners.
Creating open communication channels, implementing healthy coping strategies and establishing healthy boundaries in a conflict can help in improving the problems being faced.
5. Loss of Intimacy:
Relationships are usually built on intimacy, both emotional and physical. Mental health issues can cause a partner to reject even the simplest of touch and shy away from talking about such issues. This can cause you to feel rejected and create a cycle of misunderstandings that worsen the situation.
Although it is a sensitive topic, addressing intimacy issues with each other or with a therapist can improve intimacy and strengthen the overall relationship which might even help with the mental health issues.
Mental health issues in a relationship might cause shame and fear of stigma in the partner facing them. They might not be willing to accept the reality or might hesitate in telling you about what they are going through for the fear of ending the relationship. Thus, while it might be challenging, it is necessary to support your partner through their poor mental health and reminding them that it is okay to communicate with you.
However, it is not your responsibility to be their therapist – even if you are a trained mental health professional – because it might create an unhealthy dynamic that is not a long-term solution. It is also essential for you to practice self-care and maintain healthy boundaries without putting yourself at risk. If you are facing a burnout while supporting your partner, it would be prudent to approach a therapist for an individual or couples counselling depending on the situation so that the issues are appropriately resolved without either of the partners facing long-term trauma from this difficult time.
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