by Admin
Posted on 17-08-2023 07:39 PM
Depression and relationships are things that don’t go together. However, having a strong, healthy relationship might help you recover faster when you feel down or depressed. But the opposite happens when you involve yourself in a dysfunctional relationship. It’ll have a profoundly negative impact on your mental health and make depression symptoms worse. According to experts at the relationship counselling charity relate,
people
who are unhappy in their relationships are three times more likely to be depressed than those who are happy.
According to the organisation, more than 60% of persons with depression feel their mental disorder is caused by relationship troubles, according to some surveys.
There has been increasing recognition of the caring role that many children play in supporting a parent with a mental illness.
It is estimated that between 21-24% of australian children live in a household where at least one parent has a mental illness (maybery, reupert, patrick, goodyear & crase, 2005). The caring role that these children undertake may vary from helping out to more extensive care (sanders, 2004). The effects of having a parent with a mental illness may impact on children in different ways. Children may be affected in terms of their own direct care, or indirectly through impacts on their social and emotional health and wellbeing.
Mental health issues or illnesse s can wreak havoc on an individual’s everyday life that, in turn, negatively influence personal and professional relationships in the end. Undiagnosed and untreated mental health problems have been reported to harm friendships and relationships more than anything else. So it is undoubtedly not something that should be left unattended or neglected, or it can have significant consequences for one’s relationships. More often than not, relationships and friendships are targeted due to mental health issues either because of the inability to disclose or the increased burden over the other. This article will discuss how relationships and friendships are affected by mental health issues, how to deal with the loss of friendships in times of disparity and how to repair friendships and relationships lost because of mental illnesses.
Shame, guilt , and resentment. Having a mental illness is hard enough, but the stigma associated with mental health conditions can add an extra layer of stress for both partners. The person with a mental illness may feel shame, embarrassment , or guilt about their condition. They may try to hide their symptoms or fail to seek the help they need. Meanwhile, their partner may feel confused or frustrated by their inability to help. In some cases, a person with depression or anxiety may find it difficult to follow through with household tasks, have limited emotional availability, struggle to maintain employment, and lack the desire to socialize.
Unhealthy relationships can quickly become a stressor or mental illness trigger. For this reason, it’s important to pursue relationships with people who encourage healthy habits and provide emotional support. Depending on your circumstances, consider: reaching out to old friends you have lost contact with making regular plans with family members attending a family or school reunion joining a social organization that reflects your interests or values volunteering with a non-profit organization you support and don’t limit your peer group to your family and existing friends. You might find meaningful relationships and emotional support from close work colleagues, clergy members, neighbors, and others in your community.
Time and time again, it’s been said that close relationships are what keep us happy throughout our lives. Safe and healthy relationships with friends, family and work colleagues protect us in times of adversity, change and uncertainty. They also help us recover from illness and despair. If we are surrounded by people who love and care for us, all aspects of our physical, emotional and mental health will be more stable, according to a 2012 study by harvard university. This means happiness and good health largely come from our relationships. Tending to your relationships is a form of self-care that’s just as important as taking care of your physical health.