The Marriage Counseling Blog

Discussions on Marriage, Family, and Counseling.

Find a Therapist:

Depression Doesn’t Wreck Just Your Relationship

It is obvious to get angry when you find your partner/spouse going wrong in day-to-day decisions, forgetting things, seeming fatigued all the time, losing libido, becoming overtly sentimental or being dull. But before you go all berserk on him/her, find out if your partner is suffering from depression.

The aforementioned signs indicate depression. These and similar behavioral patterns are definitely going to make your life difficult, but believe it or not, your partner is suffering more. From what, you ask. From depression. Why, you wonder. There could be an obvious reason or something you will not be able to pinpoint at all. One thing you need to understand that depression will not only wreck your relationship but also your partner’s life.

What can you do if you find that your partner is depressed? Start with not being critical of him/her. And then, seek help. If the person in depression is not willing to seek help, you have to convince him/her. Cajole him/her, make him/her see reason, tell him/her that life will be so much better after the depression is gone.

Now, who do you go to in order to get treated for depression? No, not the marriage or relationship counselor. You need to go to a psychotherapist. The depression can be cured with a few sessions with the therapist or with antidepressants prescribed but the psychotherapist. It is advised that you don’t go for over-the-counter anti-depressant medicines.

Don’t be harsh on your partner if you find him/her behaving differently. Try to understand the underlying cause. If you cannot figure out the reason for his/her depression, at least, be with him/her while he/she undergoes therapy.

Information in this post is not intended to be medical advice. If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, seek a licensed professional qualified to deal with that illness.

This article was written by Staff Writer, and posted on Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 at 5:04 am. It is filed under Relationships. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.