When a couple is dealing with mental health issues, they can try to:
- Maintain positive communication
- Understand each other’s needs during acute episodes
- Set healthy boundaries
- Ask for help when needed
- See a family therapist
- Practice self-care
- Avoid becoming a partner’s enabler or therapist
- Prioritize individual self-care
- Go to couples counseling
It’s important to remember that mental illness can cause a lot of stress in a relationship. Couples can experience the same struggles as other couples, but their emotions may be stronger.
Mental illness can also negatively impact both partners’ sense of well-being. For example, if a spouse is prone to the same vulnerability as their partner, their partner’s condition may act as a trigger.