Topic Tuesday // Should I stay or should I go? // 18 Oct. 7pm AEDT

[Former-Member]

Hi @CherryBomb
Probably a bit of both really. I am inclined to think that the anger helps him to keep going.

[Mindcarers]

I think anger and irritability is common for those who suffer from depression. It can be very upsetting.

[Mindcarers]

Does that mean you have a physical issue?

[Shaz51]

Hi @Former-Member, @tancate

I know what you mean too

I stay because I love my partner ,

[Mindcarers]

itas good to know that and to work from that basis, but it doesnt mean you cant reassess at this stage. You can have a conversation to try to get some more of your needs met.

[tancate]

I went to carers groups but most of the people in the groups were dealing with children with mental illness.

Even though my partner suffers from a MI I justify it with the fact that some "normal" people have worse behaviour than those suffering from mental illness eg people with addictions or abuse problems.

[Melstar71]

I stay because he is a wonderful husband when the illness doesn't take over but sometimes I feel like a "nagging wife" when it comes to monitoring his alcohol intake and "manic" type moods.

[Shaz51]

Hi @Mindcarers

You can have a conversation to try to get some more of your needs met.-- over time @Mindcarers, I have done that over the last 9 years

[SunnyDay]

The person who is  mentally ill is my ex-husband now, and I live in the same house as him. He has undiagnosed bipolar disorder. I am the diagnoser as he will never see a mental health professional. I have studied some psychology subjects as part of the nursing degree I have just finished.  My ex-husband comes across as very narcissistic at times, and the opposite at other times. Many of the self help books you can get tell you to leave a narcissist. This why I left for 8 years. But standing on the sidelines I could see him messing up my grown up kids lives. I live in the same house but work on enforcing strict boundaries.

[Shaz51]

Hello @Melstar71

I find if I am calm and relax my husband who has a mental illness is more relaxed