Mental illness is like cancer. It doesn't discriminate. Anyone can be mentally ill. Just yesterday I heard a story about a violent, mentally ill 8 year old child.
I live with depression and anxiety. My depression causes me fatigue, and my anxiety causes hypomania. It's kind of similar to mood swings, but much more intense. I can sleep for the whole day if I'm having a depressive episode, and I can stay up all night cleaning the house or obsessing over something if I'm anxious/hypomanic.
I can forget to eat, or I can cook a huge meal and eat until I'm full.
I can force myself to slowly finish only one cup of water over the course of the day, or I can drink a gallon in a sort of 'challenge' with myself to see how hydrated I can get. Everything is black and white, and I have a hard time finding myself in the grey.
My relationship takes hits from my mental illness, but luckily I have a supportive partner and I have lots of coping strategies that help me work through episodes. For example, sometimes when I'm anxious or manic I'll be averse to being touched. Sometimes when I'm depressed, I'll stay in bed all day and he'll help me wash my face, make the bed with me or prepare me a small snack.
I always want him to know how much I love him, how I'm trying my best to support him as much as he supports me, how disgusting I feel when I haven't showered for a few days, how hard it is for me to let him touch my body, and how when I look in the mirror with him behind me I feel like I'm a monster being held by something much purer, kinder and more attractive than I am. But I don't communicate those things. I don't want to 'make it weird.'
If you're single and manic, you might find yourself sleeping with many partners at once or having frequent sex. This can take a toll on you, physically and mentally. If you're manic and in a relationship, you can exhaust yourself and your partner.
Practicing self-care extends to your partner as well. If you're sick, you want to make sure your partner doesn't get sick. If you're mentally unwell, you want to help your partner stay stable. Take care of you, but don't forget to take care of your loved ones too. It's important to keep it a mutually beneficial relationship.
I live with depression and anxiety. My depression causes me fatigue, and my anxiety causes hypomania. It's kind of similar to mood swings, but much more intense. I can sleep for the whole day if I'm having a depressive episode, and I can stay up all night cleaning the house or obsessing over something if I'm anxious/hypomanic.
I can forget to eat, or I can cook a huge meal and eat until I'm full.
I can force myself to slowly finish only one cup of water over the course of the day, or I can drink a gallon in a sort of 'challenge' with myself to see how hydrated I can get. Everything is black and white, and I have a hard time finding myself in the grey.
My relationship takes hits from my mental illness, but luckily I have a supportive partner and I have lots of coping strategies that help me work through episodes. For example, sometimes when I'm anxious or manic I'll be averse to being touched. Sometimes when I'm depressed, I'll stay in bed all day and he'll help me wash my face, make the bed with me or prepare me a small snack.
I always want him to know how much I love him, how I'm trying my best to support him as much as he supports me, how disgusting I feel when I haven't showered for a few days, how hard it is for me to let him touch my body, and how when I look in the mirror with him behind me I feel like I'm a monster being held by something much purer, kinder and more attractive than I am. But I don't communicate those things. I don't want to 'make it weird.'
If you're single and manic, you might find yourself sleeping with many partners at once or having frequent sex. This can take a toll on you, physically and mentally. If you're manic and in a relationship, you can exhaust yourself and your partner.
Practicing self-care extends to your partner as well. If you're sick, you want to make sure your partner doesn't get sick. If you're mentally unwell, you want to help your partner stay stable. Take care of you, but don't forget to take care of your loved ones too. It's important to keep it a mutually beneficial relationship.
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