How to Cope with Your Partner’s Mental Illness

Having a partner with a mental illness can be just as draining, stressful and emotional for you as it is for them, as you often feel completely helpless in trying to look after them. Although everyone’s circumstances are different, below are some universal strategies that may help you more proactively cope with your partner’s mental illness.

Have a Backup Plan

If your partner’s mental illness takes a turn for the worse, it will often become necessary for you to stay home and care for them. And if you’re like most people, stopping work means no income, and therefore no livelihood. Income protection could be the right solution for people who find themselves in these circumstances, and if your claim to gain access is rejected, a company like Super Claims Australia will easily step-in to untangle these burdens for you. With one less strain on your mind you can more readily focus your time and attention where it’s needed.

Seek Help

Seeking out professional help does not just stop at your partner. Taking care of someone with a mental illness will take its toll on you too, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Simply talking to someone completely removed from your own life will often lift some of the strain from your mind. Talking can help to untie your own pain, worries and anxieties that you often keep restrained when around your partner.

Stay Healthy

Exercise and a healthy diet directly affect your mood, so always make a conscious effort to not become lazy in these areas. Go for a quick run at different times of the day, or if you’re not feeling confident enough to leave your partner at home, incorporate some easy routines into your schedule that can be done at your house. Physical activity can also be a huge benefit for someone living with a mental illness too, so try and involve your partner in these routines as much as possible.

Mix It Up

Having the same routine can often not be the best idea for someone suffering from a mental illness, but is often what they like the best as it becomes their security blanket. Try to avoid this habit from the beginning so your partner doesn’t become completely reliant on it to the point where a slight change can tip them over the edge. Scatter grocery deliveries to come at different times of the week, alternate exercise routines, and eat at slightly different times. Incorporate different activities into each day, particularly things you can do together, such as art and crafts, crosswords, walking or reading. This will keep your own mind stimulated as well as your partners, so you both feel like you’re moving forward together.

Taking on someone else’s emotional and physical pain from mental illness is not an easy burden to bare, particular when it’s your own partner. It can become difficult to stay positive when coping with this type of stress, so don’t be too hard on yourself, and always keep in mind that your life and health are important too.

Are you or someone you know coping with a partner’s mental illness? What are some coping mechanisms that you have seen or used? Write your comments in the comments below.