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Supporting my partner

Supporting my partner

I have posted before and since then things have moved considerably. My partner has been diagnosed and sees a psychiatrist regularly and will be getting further support shortly.

My problem is that she really struggles to set boundaries and it is not helped that due to her mental condition she really doesn’t always make the right choices. As a couple we work very hard to be equals in decisions and will discuss them together. I try (but don’t always succeed) to not make decisions for her.

The major issue is that her family and friends do not provide this kind of support. They take over and become her voice and impose their viewpoints on her and she gets really overwhelmed and scared by it.

As an example she is visiting a friend interstate who out of the blue messaged me and told me I was no longer to contact my partner/wife as she disagrees with the chaos in our lives. I confronted the friend and said I would totally respect my partner if that was her desire, and the friends response was that ‘you won’t get that from her, she doesn’t know what’s good for her’. I’ve spoken to my partner and she is now terrified of talking or messaging me and sneaks off to make contact while she is at the friends.

So she now has people trying to force her into drug rehab believing she’s on drugs and that I somehow support her on that, she absolutely is not on drugs. I know this for a fact as she’s done drug tests and come up clean. I understand how the friend has the best intentions, but in my view her actions cross over into abuse.

Sadly much of my partners problems stem from trauma and abuse and the best thing for her to do, would be to sever ties to her abusive and toxic past, but that is not my decision to make.

So we go through this cycle of getting well and making progress and then she wants to go and ‘put things right’ back home, and then she falls apart completely and asks me to rescue her from the situation.

21 replies

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In response to: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

@Shaz51 @Well it has been very hard. She ran out of meds and really deteriorated. So I've broken one of my boundaries yet again in that I have flown east to get her as she doesn't feel able to do it alone.

I have such mixed feelings as I care deeply, and knowing that when she's struggling even going to the local shops is something she can't do. So expecting someone scared of flying to do it alone, especially in a heightened state seems unreasonable.

However I also am frustrated and even angry, because I enable this. She doesn't appreciate the cost and long term strain these trips cause.

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

@Shaz51 @What a nightmare trip. Because she had run out of meds she was not at all stable. Within 10 minutes of getting on the plane she was freaking out and hysterical and shortly after take off said out loud 'I hope the plane crashes and we all die, cause I can't do 5 hours of this'

At that point the crew pulled me aside and told me that if she didn't stop they would turn the plane around and all costs would be on me. They did not understand the issues involved at all (I'm not excusing her behaviour). But the whole thing made me realise just how ill equiped I am to deal with a crisis.

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

ohhhh @Neverland

sending you lots of tender hugs my friend

how are you tonight

@Faith-and-Hope, @SHINY

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

@Shaz51 Things are slowly settling. Back on meds, sleeping lots and recovering. We have also had a breakthrough where she wants to go and see a psychologist, not just psychiatrist. So from next week that will be a weekly event.

It's a long and hard journey. We were talking last night about how we are both struggling not to be depressed, but to find joy in the small things and move forwards.

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

Ohh @Neverland a step forward my friend

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

@Shaz51 I don't know how and if I can go on anymore. I don't know how other people do it, I love my wife and care deeply, but the cost of the relationship on my mental health and wellbeing is enormous. I have not slept in two days now, I am not suicidal but I am in a very bad mental state.

Since my last update, she started seeing a psychologist as well as the psychiatrist. Things were looking really good and positive. Unfortunately everything has well and truly fallen apart again. Bearing in mind she is someone who on a good day can manage to do 2 or 3 household chores without being overwhelmed(washing, dishes and vacuuming, would be a good day for her).

It seems like a perfect storm came together over Easter. The whole Covid-19 situation is bringing uncertainty to all of us, but for her it added the dimension of would she be able to see her children this year? Then easter is a family time and she did not have her kids. So she asked me if I would be prepared to book a flight for her to go in 2 weeks time and that she felt she needed to go and be an adult 'on her own two feet' and parent the kids alone. I said I thought it was a bad idea and that we should discuss it, at which point she reached out to her ex and he bought her a ticket for the next day (less than 24 hours into the future).

Being honest I was extremely angry and felt both betrayed and that give it 2 or 3 weeks and she will be wanting me to fly over and get her again. I said some really horrible things, and told her we were done and over and she was now on her own.

She has gone over east, is begging me to keep the relationship alive. I am missing her and in a mess. Sorry this has been such a long post, but it helps to put it into words

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

Hi there @Neverland

I have just been reading your post from earlier today and thought I would send you a quick check in message. Good on you for posting such a honest and heartfelt message about your situation. I hope your mental state is not too bad this evning. If you do need additional support please consider reaching out to the helplines and talking to somebody.

Please take care.

Whitehawk

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

ohhh my @Neverland , walking with you my friend xoxo

@Faith-and-Hope

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

Hi @Neverland Just following up on your post and making sure that you are safe and staying in touch with the forum members as needed. Dont ever be reluctant to continue to use this resource! Thanks NiteKat (mod)

In response to: Re: Supporting my partner

Re: Supporting my partner

@Former-Member @NiteKat @Shaz51

Thank you all for the kind words. I am struggling to cope and will be seeing my GP today.

I feel that I am at a fork in the road and for my own wellbeing I need to find the courage and strength to walk away. It is not what I want and I may not even have the strength to 'abandon' my partner, but at this point we will both drown.

There is a tremendous amount of guilt at considering leaving a good person that is unwell. The general opinion of my close family is that she should realistically be hospitalised and that I am enabling by constantly taking things on.

Again I appreciate the moral support, this is not an easy time

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