Relationships can be impacted by depression in a variety of ways. For instance, depression impacts:
- The individual
Depression can make a person feel worn out, less interested in spending time with their partner or friends, or less interested in activities they used to love together. A rise in irritation is one emotional alteration that depression can bring about.
As a result of the effect that depression is having on their relationship, people may feel guilty or humiliated. They could feel responsible for their symptoms or like their spouse has to put up with them. It could be challenging to discuss how the individual is feeling as a result.
- Their partner
Changes in mental health can also affect the partners of depressed people. For instance, they might sense:
- cut off
- thinking about their partner
- feeling uneasy and “stepping on eggshells” around them
- that they are to blame for the depression
- accountable for the well-being or recovery of their partner
This may eventually have an effect on someone’s emotional wellbeing.
- Sex and intimacy
Loss of interest in sex due to depression is a possibility. It may also contribute to sexual dysfunction, including issues attaining or keeping an erection or experiencing an orgasm. Some antidepressant drugs may also have an impact on this. Over 33% of men and 42% of women with depression reported a decline in libido in an earlier study. A worse quality of life was also indicated by those who had sexual dysfunction. These impacts may cause problems in relationships, such as feeling disconnected from a spouse or lacking in attractiveness or desirable qualities.
- Children
A parent’s depression may also have an impact on the person if they share parental responsibilities with their partner. Parental depression, for instance, can have an impact on a child’s ability to attach and be nurtured as well as on parenting duties like providing for their scholastic and medical needs.
Is relationship the cause?
It might be challenging to determine whether a relationship is causing emotional problems or not. This is due to the fact that relationships and depression can occasionally coexist as two distinct issues. However, when a spouse is present and the relationship is healthy, addressing the depression may enhance both the partner’s and the patient’s quality of life. It may indicate that the relationship itself is having an effect on someone’s mental health if they start depression treatment and still feel dissatisfied in their relationship. A person can learn whether or not their relationship is healthy or advantageous with the aid of a mental health expert like a therapist or relationship counsellor. Try consultation with Dr.R.K.Suri, the best clinical psychologist in Dwarka, South-West Delhi.
Some warning indicators of a toxic relationship include:
- being held responsible for having mental health issues
- being made to feel uncertain or unconfident by the partner’s actions
- a sense of being confined, abandoned, or cut off from friends and relatives
- being restrained from making decisions for oneself
- having a lot of drama and controversy
- feeling in any way uncomfortable or threatened
Those who spot these warning indicators may be the victims of abuse.
What could help?
Someone suffering from depression can believe there is no hope. However, there are ways for people to start healing from depression, and it is very treatable.
Making an appointment with a doctor or mental health specialist is the first step. Take assistance with the diagnosis of depression, do any necessary tests to rule out any underlying disorders, and go over available treatments.
Depending on what works for each individual, depression treatments can differ. Typically, it involves a mix of the following:
- talking treatment
- medicine for symptom reduction
- self-care techniques
Understanding the potential causes of the person’s depression through talking treatments is helpful. A therapist could, for instance, assist the patient in recognising potentially harmful experiences or thought patterns.
The individual can then begin to resolve this and establish new thought processes or routines. They could also want to alter other aspects of their lives, such as their romantic relationship.
Other measures that could be beneficial include:
- gaining knowledge of depression
- keeping a notebook where one can openly express their emotions and begin to recognise their triggers
- establishing manageable, minor goals that promote mental health, such as talking to a friend, going on brief walks, or spending time in nature
- exercising mindfulness through yoga, meditation, or breathing techniques
- asking a partner, close friend, or family member for support joining an offline or online support group
Remember that recovery is not a linear process. It’s common to experience both good and terrible days, even when receiving treatment.
When it is safe to do so, people with depression can communicate with their partners about how they are feeling:
- describing the effects of their sadness and what support they require from their partner
- acknowledging that their spouse is also being affected by this and helping them to express their feelings
- giving both parties space to take care of themselves
- keeping a comfortable level of physical contact, such as via holding hands or snuggling
Speaking with a couple’s counsellor may be helpful if talking about depression feels challenging.
How partners can help?
It’s crucial for partners of depressed persons to comprehend that they cannot cure their partner’s mental illness. A person cannot be forced to seek assistance if they do not want to.
What partners can offer is compassion, love, and understanding. Someone may feel more supported in receiving treatment if they believe they are in a loving and safe relationship.
Other actions partners can take to assist include:
- Understanding depression: To better understand what their spouse is going through, people can educate themselves on depression, how it affects people, and its treatment choices.
- Creating a safe space: Allow the depressed individual to express their thoughts and feelings without being judged. Validate these sentiments and thoughts.
- Giving practical support: Partners can assist with duties that the person finds challenging, such making meals or driving to appointments, as needed.
- Defining expectations and boundaries: While assistance is crucial, there are limits to what partners can do to assist. It’s critical to make sure that everyone is aware of this and that support limits aren’t the result of carelessness.
When caring for a depressed person, spouses must also take care of their own mental health. They can think about consulting with Dr.R.K.Suri, the best clinical psychologist in Dwarka, South-West Delhi.
Summary
Relationships and depression may be related. However, even when a relationship is happy, some people can experience depression. Depression can always have a significant effect on a person and their loved ones.
With the right care, relationship depression can be cured. People in committed relationships might offer support to one another until the effects of treatment start to show.
If a person is unable to receive assistance from their partner, they may want to think about if their relationship is unhealthy.
