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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

How do you cope if both partners in a relationship have depression?

6 replies

iwouldgoouttonight · 17/02/2012 09:37

Things haven't been good between me and DP for a while (to be honest things have never been quite right since we had the DCs and DS is 5 now!). We go through stages where the stresses of both working almost full time, looking after the DCs, illnesses, having issues with DS wetting and soiling himself daily, so we are seeing doctors/hospital about that just all get on top of us and we barely speak to each other and just struggle through each day. Then things tend to come to a head, we talk about how crap everything is and try to make an effort to pay each other attention and try to get our sense of humour and perspective back.

But recently the bad bit has gone on for much longer, and neither of us can be bothered to even make the effort to talk to each other about what to do about it. We just exist in the same house but have no affection for each other. We don't argue or dislike each other, we just don't do anything. Sad

I've suffered with depression and anxiety on and off for most of my life and I've been on medication since DD was born three years ago. DP always bottles things up and it had always been quite difficult to know how he is really feeling. I've been feeling uphappy in the relationship for while partly because we don't talk to each other and it is really difficult to have any kind of conversation with DP apart from just about practical day-to-day things.

Anyway, last night I thought I'm going to make an effort to try and talk this through and spoke to DP about how we need to talk and work out how we can try to make more of an effort with each other, maybe going out without the DCs every so often, or relationship counselling, or whatever. We talked a little bit - I mentioned about how I have no energy left for physical affection after working all day and doing all the household chores, etc and felt DP didn't pull his weight around the house, and didn't appreciate how much I did.

He admitted he didn't do enough and was lazy, and he said he thinks he may be depressed. After talking a bit he eventually said he'd been feeling like it for a couple of years, he finds it really difficult to go out and be sociable with people (which is why he gave up his previous job which involved a lot of talking to people - I had always wondered why he changed jobs - he never really talked about it) and he sometimes feels angry that I don't show him affection but then he thinks why would anyone be affectionate to him because he's not worth it.

He cried then, which he very very rarely does. And it actually made me feel a bit relieved that he'd actually opened up and I had an idea of how he was feeling so we could try to help each other. We talked a bit about whether it would help if he talked to friends more (he's lost contact with all but one of his friends because he stopped going out), or went to the doctor to talk about medication/counselling, or what I could do to help.

But he says he doesn't want to do any of those things - he doesn't like having to admit he may be depressed and he feels as though he needs to be the strong one to support me and my depression so he can't be depressed too. I said I can help him though, because I know what it feels like to feel worthless and that its a struggle to get through each day. He doesn't want to have a night out with just the two of us to try and have a nice time without the DCs to worry about. He doesn't want to try relationship counselling because he says he wants to sort himself out first.

So we didn't really resolve what to do next, but we established that we want to make it work, we both still love each other, we're both to blame for things being a bit crap, and we both feel depressed!

So we went to bed feeling slightly better that at least we'd talked, but today I just can't stop crying. I can't see a way out of it. I don't think I'm strong enough to help DP out of his depression when I'm feeling like this. DP is at work and I am with the DCs - they're just been arguing (again!) and I completely lost it with them - yelled right in their faces the poor things. Little DD just looked at me and burst into tears. So now I feel even worse, I'm a crap parent, I can't stop crying and the problems with DP seem insurmountable at the minute.

Sorry for such a long post. Its helped to get it out of my system even if nobody reads it!

OP posts:
LizzieChickens · 17/02/2012 10:47

It is a struggle when both partners have depression. In my experience we both help each other through when we have the energy and the sufficient levels of wellness. If rubbing along together is what you can do for now, then that's just what you can do.

I'm glad you were able to talk to each other. :)

JugglingWithTangentialOranges · 17/02/2012 11:14

Hi I would go out

I'm sorry things are such a struggle for you both ATM. I found your post very helpful as I feel things are slightly the same with us, though I think it's mainly me that has low level (sub-threshold?) depression, and DH is just a bit fed up with life being a bit of a struggle. He does get very grumpy though too, which of course doesn't exactly help.

LizzieChickens advice that if all you can manage is to rub along together for now, then perhaps that's what we have to do. And say "well-done" to ourselves at the end of each day ?! Glad you're talking more now too - that can only be a good thing ? DH and I do occasionally get out for a meal together and evening out, which always feels good, so think we should do that more. Probably more fun than counseling which my DH is not a great fan of !

Be kind to yourself regarding being a parent, we all have better and worse moments Smile Forgive yourself and move ever forwards - Tomorrow is a new day !

iwouldgoouttonight · 17/02/2012 13:57

Thanks for your replies and sorry you're both going through it too. I have at least stopped crying and I've apologied to the DCs and said I was feeling a bit sad but i shouldn't have shouted at them.

Me and DP really need to keep talking to each other but it is very difficult - he really doesn't like talking about it - it took a very long time last night for him to say anything at all so its not as though we're at stage where I can ask him how he's feeling today and he can tell me. He says when he thinks about feeling down it turns into a downward spiral and makes him feel worse so he tries not to think or talk about it. I find this quite frustrating because I know that I feel better by talking things through. I talk to friends about things which really helps me.

We need a way of trying to help DP get to a similar point to where I am - i.e. knowing that things aren't great, but where I think I am ready to really try to make things better. At the minute he says he just feels empty and it feels too difficult to even try anything. But like you say if we can both rub along together for now but be aware that we need to support each other, then thats what we can do at the minute.

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 17/02/2012 14:05

"he says he wants to sort himself out first.

what is he doign concretely to do that?
seenig gp?
counselling?
or what?

if you both really down you both need external help and support

speak to your hv maybe surestart volunteer to visit you regularly and offer support or ?

iwouldgoouttonight · 18/02/2012 11:08

He's not doing anything concretely to do that cestlavielife. That is why I'm frustrated - he doesn't want to see GP or have counselling. He seems to think he needs to sort out how he is feeling all by himself so he's not admitting he has a problem iyswim.

At the minute I'm just trying to keep the communication going between us and see how it goes from there.

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 18/02/2012 21:47

You have dc
It isn't about what he wants to do but what he needs to do to sort out his issues

If he refuses to seek help and support for himself then you better off without him
You cannot look after dc and an adult child as well who doesntn "want" to get help

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