Mental health can affect many aspects of someone’s life, including relationships. It can be difficult to watch the one you love struggle with a mental illness but there are ways you can support your partner. Maintaining the balance between relationships and mental health can be a struggle, however, there are ways for you to help and be a great partner.
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Relationships and Mental Health: Signs that Your Partner is Struggling
Mental health disorders (also called mental illnesses) have wide-ranging impacts, including emotional, psychological, and social well-being. They affect how a person thinks, feels, and acts. A few examples of mental illnesses include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors. Not everyone will show the same signs of a mental health disorder—they can vary depending on the individual, circumstances, and other factors. The most common symptoms to look for are:
- feeling sad or down
- withdrawal from friends and family
- loss of interest in hobbies
- extreme mood swings
- changes in sleeping and eating habits
- sex drive changes
- suicidal thinking
- inability to cope with daily problems
5 Ways to Support Your Partner
1. Be an Active Listener
Talk to your partner and let them know that you want to listen. Ask about how they are feeling and what you can do to help. Sometimes they might just need to vent, while other times they want support. It’s important to understand that you shouldn’t jump in to give them advice or fix the problem. Instead, let them take the time to express how they are doing. Being completely present and listening to your partner is one of the best ways to show support.
2. Do Your Research
It can be hard to recognize how much someone is struggling with their symptoms since they aren’t always outwardly apparent. This illustrates how living with mental health presents unique challenges to your partner’s daily life. If your partner has been diagnosed with a mental illness, you can research it and understand what it means. Also, it’s important to understand the label mental health disorder doesn’t define your partner: it’s just something they are dealing with. Focus on understanding their struggles and give support when they need help.
3. Focus on Your Relationship
If your partner is struggling with their mental health, it can become the focus of the relationship. It shouldn’t be. Don’t let mental illness interfere with the relationship itself. Continue to communicate with each other, spend time together, and express your love for one another. Maintaining an emotional connection is important to the overall health of the relationship.
4. Don’t Be Their Therapist
As a partner, your role is to encourage and support your partner—not to diagnose or treat their mental health problems. If your partner has indicated they would like some extra support, don’t be their therapist—encourage them to seek professional help. No one wants to feel their partner is trying to control their actions and feelings.
5. Support Yourself Too
Self-care is not selfish. Your partner needs support, but your mental well-being is important, too. If you are also struggling, that’s not good for either of you. Taking care of yourself is necessary to maintaining healthy and happy relationships.
How Does Modern Psych Help Those with Mental Health Disorders?
Overcoming a mental health challenge takes time. But with the right support, your partner can overcome it. Through compassionate care and evidence-based treatment, the care team at Modern Psychiatry and Wellness will work with your loved one to develop the best course of treatment so they can regain control of their life. Find out more about our treatments and contact us for more information.
