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I don't know how to help my husband's depression

I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Hi, I'm new here. I have a husband who has depression/anxity/paranoia as long as I know him. We have been together for almost 20years. He was already taking anti-depression medicine when I met him and he told me about it but he seemed happy and cheerful charactor so it didn't bother me at all. But now we have a life together like becoming parents, moved home, bought family house, experienced high and low together. We've been orvecame everything together but it's been really hard for both of us particurally last 18months or so. He had really bad experience with people during his solo holiday and it made him distrust of other people. It affected his so much and he's sometimes too scared to going outside like even shopping etc so he's been spending a lot of times inside- playing video games where he feels safe. Even then, sometimes somethings trigger him and he can't get up from bed.

I'm always trying to listen and cheer him up but I've lost my own mom unexpectedly last year and this was very hard. Very hard for me to look after my husband's depression while I'm having a melt down by myself and also looking after my teenage son as well. Furthermore, I had to change my workplace where I worked for 10years because it's been sold and I couldn't get on with new boss. This was added another stress for me. I live reginal area so everything is limited. I contacted local community center about counseling service but their funding just stopped so no longer offer the service any more. Spoke to flying in doctor and she put me onto this SANE website.

I don't have close friends who can talk to this kind of things. Or I don't really want to talk to local people because this place is like everybody knows everybody kind of place so I don't want unnecessary rumors to spread out. The thing is, there are so many spritual/ wellness business in this town. Few of our (so called) friends have business like that but when my husband expressed his emotion, nobody comes forward to help or even just listen.- this caused him another episode of distrust issues.

The thing is I just want him to be happy but he dosen't want get help. He dosen't trust local GP, any of local group or anything. He only trust me and my son but I can only so much and very limited if he's not keen to get help. What's the best way to get help for him? Is there anything else that I can do? I feel stuck with no light coming to the end at the moment. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

50 replies

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In response to: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

😅😅 very true @Till23

My mum was a gardener, there are gardens everywhere

We got rid of a few garden but there is so much more

So many weeds and rock borders

And I brought some more dialsis seeds 🤣🤣

In response to: Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Hi @Shaz51 yes gardening has so many good things about it, but not weeds😂

What type of seeds did you buy?

In response to: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

How are you @Tete ?

In response to: Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Thank you @tyme .

I had been well. Hubby has been ok too. He needs few months to get over the feeling of 'nobody likes me'. He still say it but he's able to go outside like little shopping or put fuel in the car etc. It's small but it's a start. He's also starting his breath work and trying organising to see phone psychologist. I'm happy with it.

Also He's on fishing trip with our 14yo son at the moment. It's school holiday and apparently weather is good now so they decided to spend few days at rural area. But I have to work so I'm staying at home. The reception is sketchy so I actually don't know how they are doing. I got few messages. They've managed to catch a mud crab so they should be happy. But I got another message saying, fishing is not very good or there's not much to do etc.

If I were there, I'd gladly take 'nothing to do' as just relaxing and spend time with my son but hubby being naturally negative person he could think of himself as a failure. Well, I just have to see how they went when they come home in few days. Hope he's not too depressed. It'll be very hard for 14yo son. I can take his depression but I don't want our son to deal with dad's depression by himself.. fingers crossed!

In response to: Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Hello @Tete

Sending you lots of understanding hugs and sitting with you 💗

Yes my husband will say a negative response to every day

@Jynx , @Healandlove

In response to: Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

@Tete , thanks for the update. I can hear the struggles your hubby has been having. That negative rumination can be so loud for someone with depression. I hope the psychotherapy can help with that.

I wonder if there are peer workers in your area who can connect with him? Sometimes, just hearing what recovery can look like can be so helpful.

And yes, celebrating those little successes can go a long way. Just let him know that you can see he is trying and you can acknowledge his effort.

Please look after yourself. As much as you want to look after him, you can't pour from an empty cup.

We look forward to hearing from you.

In response to: Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Thank you.

Thye came home few days ago and hubby seemed ok. Well, he wasn't happy about himself that he didn't take his boat out as much as other dad did. He felt lazy about it but I could cheer him up as success trip with our son. So it's all ok.

He's still trying to organise a psych. He contacted one of the suppot website and and registered. Apparently one of the psych has been trying to contact with him last 3 weeks but hubby being scared of answering a phone, he missed all attempted contact from psych and now he got quite agressive Email from psych about hubby not picking up a phone.

I know it's frustrated and stressful for someone trying to contact such a long time but I thought psych would show bit more understanding with a person with depression struggling to comunicate with stranger. Well, I dont know if he wants to talk to this psychologist or may have to ask someone else. Everything is so hard to organise for him.

There is a mens group in this little town. He met one of the ex-member of this group the other day. This guy said it used to be helpful and enjoyed going there weekly but the main leader has changed and this guy is not good. One day, the leader has asked raise hand if you have vacctinated for COVID and this guy was the only one to raise a hand. The leader was serious anti-vaxxer and started to attaching this guy. Every since then, he stopped going to the group. It's really shame but this is the only group that I know of..

oh well, it's still all ok. We'll manage somehow. Hope to find stable psychologist for hubby soon. He really needs someone to talk to regurally besides me.

In response to: Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Hey @Tete ,

You're right. There's a boundary between how much a loved one can support, and as you said, it's certainly helpful to have an objective view on the situation from someone else.

I'm sorry to hear about the aggressive email. I can only imagine how stressful it would have been for your hubby.

He is so lucky to have you support him. I hope you find someone he can speak to very soon.

We look forward to hearing any updates.

In response to: Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Thank you @tyme

I'm supporting him and you and everybody else on this community is supporting me. I feel a lot lighter after posting what's going on with my life. I don't have a real friend who can talk/ understand depression so this helps me a lot. Thank you.

In response to: Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

Re: I don't know how to help my husband's depression

I can certainly relate to what you are saying. Letting it out can be a real burden off your shoulders. IN my own recovery, I used these forums to get things out in a safe and anonymous way.

One thing I had to keep telling myself was that the people here are not chat bots or robots. The members here are all read people with real experiences of mental health whether it is their own lived experience or experience caring for someone.

That is the most powerful - in my opinion.

Please continue to look after yourself. I wonder if your husband would find peer support helpful too @Tete ?

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