How it is to live with a depressed person
I’m not sure how many of you know that I suffer from depression, or that I take medication for it, but it’s something that I rarely talk about these days (but feel free to ask questions though). Well to the point. I suffer from major anxiety when I’m in a relationship when I know that the partner might deal with my depressive periods in a severe way. That is why I’m afraid of getting in to a relationship again.
I just want to highlight how it is to live with a person that suffers from depression since it’s very rare that stories from the partner comes up in the light. But I recently discovered an old post from Jon Armstrong (yes, Heather Armstrong’s aka Dooce’s husband) called “How I do“, where he describes his feelings dealing with Heathers disease. I found it to be really interesting to read and I have forwarded it to my closest friends.
Also, if you are the partner, living with a person with this kind of illness, please tell me about your experiences and your feelings. I would love to read, and learn, about it. When I’m in a relationship and ask my partner about it, I hardly get any answers. That’s why I have started to investigate about it. I have one good advice for you all and that is:
Talk to each other!
Art by: dolphy
I have experience with this. It is definitely not easy, particularly when the patient has a hard time talking about and expressing his/her feelings. It is very difficult not to react to the person the way you do other folks, i.e., expecting him/her to deal with you the way other people in your life do. The person with depression does not, usually. You need to learn your own way to deal and communicate with that person because everyone is unique. It’s very challenging.
Posted on January 5th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I take medication on a regular basis. I have tried going off but I feel so much better when I take it that I have realized it is a good idea to plan on taking it forever. My problem is anxiety more so than depression but my medication is for both.
My mother also suffers with severe depression to the point of not being able to function on her own. I have put her in an assisted living home so that doctors and nurses can look after her but it is very difficult.
Posted on January 6th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I do sympathise with the problems such as this, particularly because of my ma-in-law’s problems. Happily things are a lot better now, but we still have to be careful with her emotions.
Posted on January 8th, 2008 at 5:32 am