Depression in Marriage
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression strikes over 20 million Americans each year, with over half of those being women. Understanding depression is difficult for both the person who is suffering and those that suffering in association within the family.
Spousal communication can be difficult for many marriages even in the best of times, but when your spouse is depressed, it becomes increasingly difficult reach them. Neither one of you is getting the help or the support that you need and a negative cycle becomes a habit of relating, leading to a marriage breakdown. In many cases the sufferer of depression seeks medical help, but the marital problems have become inlaid and tend to persist. At that point, professional help for the relationship is in order, as well as possible individual counseling for depression or anxiety.
Marriage counseling for couples who are dealing with depression is a lifesaver for many couples. By meeting jointly with a professional counselor, it is often easier for a couple to look at how depression has affected their marriage as a whole, not just from one person’s point of view.
It’s true that depression is difficult and painful for everyone involved, but with medical and professional assistance, it can be managed and your relationships can be lasting and caring. It is usually helpful to remember that although one partner may be suffering with depression, their spouse suffers as well.
If you or your spouse is suffering from depression and your marriage is failing, contact a marriage counselor for help.
Related Posts
- Marriage & Depression, pt 2: The Paradox of Depression
- Depression Help for Couples
- Depression Doesn’t Wreck Just Your Relationship
- Depression and Its Toll on a Marriage
- Therapy to Treat Depression
