Truly Loving Someone With Mental Illness

By Brenda Mitchell


For some folk, they may believe that love can only go so far. When friends and extended family are told of their situation relating to being able to loving someone with mental illness and various other disorders, they don't always understand their predicament. It is not easy to know how one feels when you have not been in this position yourself.

It is often not easy to cope with this on your own. Often, families split up. They begin to avoid one another. The individual with the disorder may not want to talk to the rest of the family and prefers to stay away. It is obviously hurtful when this happens, but parents shouldn't think that this is their fault. The first thing they should be doing is to encourage therapy.

Of course, this will depend on the disorder. Anxiety is different from bipolar, for example. It is never nice to see someone that you love constantly worried about the small things in life. They may become more and more distant. Sometimes this happens gradually and you only discover this after you have met them, but you find that it is difficult to let go because of the way you feel about them.

Of course, when you have a spouse who has borderline personality disorder or bipolar, for example, you won't find this to be easy at all. It especially becomes tough when there are kids in the home. Your moods will go up and down, and children obviously won't understand what is happening. They will see mom and dad fighting and it makes them feel upset and anxious.

Often, parents become so wound up in their own problems because of the condition that they forget about the children. It is imperative to take note of the kids and what they are going through as well. If one neglects this, you find that they grow up often feeling guilty thinking that this was their fault and they are too blame. This becomes a pattern in their life.

One also needs to know that this is something that goes around in the genes. One must be aware of various signs and symptoms. For example, when you feel that you are depressed or anxious, it is important to follow this up in the early stages so you don't land up with the same predicament on your hands.

Bullying is a major problem in schools today. It can leave kids with bad emotional scars and it is important to open up. Parents need to be aware of the symptoms. Teens often go through times where they are rebellious due to depression, for example. It can be hurtful for parents. They will sometimes think that they are not great parents.

Even though people tell you that this is not your fault, it can take some time to get to the point where you feel this way. Once you have a better understanding for the illness, you will also be able to feel a greater sense of freedom. You will know how to be able to cope with the person that you love and care for so much, and you can show a greater level of compassion.




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