Nearly 350 million people worldwide experience depression. If you have been struggling with this, it may feel as though your world is caving in – being in a relationship can make this even more challenging, as your significant other may not be aware of what to say or do to help you feel better. A study conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne interviewed 135 couples of which either one or both partners had a history of depression. The ages of couples ranged from 20 to 83 years old, with couples’ history in length from 6 months to 49 years total. The couples shared the hardships their relationship has endured with depression involved. Here are some themes from what they said:
- Feeling happy when one partner can help the other feel better. Several people stated that they love their partner so much and, when they can help them feel better, it makes them happy. This is not only a sign of a good partner, however; a study of 1,981 middle-aged heterosexual couples revealed that individuals who had happy spouses were more likely to report better health over time. Thus, it turns out that helping our partner to feel better not only helps them, but helps you, too.
- Becoming more connected through new shared understandings. Depression doesn’t always give people a reason for their sadness or hopelessness. This can be frustrating at times, especially when a loving partner is wanting to do anything to make their loved one feel better – but how? Sometimes just sharing one’s feelings and thought processes has strengthened the connection because new understandings occur.
- Knowing what the other is going through. Some couples reported both as having depression. Although one many think this could go terribly wrong in a relationship, several couples reported being able to help one another even more because they knew what the other was going through.
If you’ve been considering giving up on love because of your depression, think again. Many couples have found success despite their mental illnesses. Treatment could be a great option for you to develop stronger coping skills as well as ways to effectively communicate with your significant other if it’s needed. Always do what’s best for your happiness, health, and well-being – recovery from depression is possible, and there are many people who want to help you.
If you’re seeking a mental health and/or substance abuse recovery treatment center, call us today at 855-412-2426. Avalon Malibu is a world-renowned, California state-licensed treatment center with licensed, experienced professionals who care about your recovery. We have a variety of methods that we can try with you to see what works and will help you develop a customized treatment plan to best suit your needs. Make the decision to place your health and happiness as top priority and call us for a consultation.
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