Mental health and separation

[Onlyfamandclosefknow]

I am shortly to move out as DH has had such severe mental health problems that I now have PTSD symptoms myself and we are unable to support each other as partners without triggering each other. He's now doing OK but is still vulnerable to it. He will have support from professionals and our families. We are in a carer-cared for dynamic.

I love him to bits. He's been my best friend and partner for years and years. Getting the courage to make this happen has not been easy and it's a horrible decision to make so I'm not making it lightly.

I have posted in the MH boards under a NC I think. I'm looking for a bit of your MH experience and hope that separating to heal from the trauma doesn't have to mean the end of our marriage.

Has anyone separated due to mental illness but managed to reconnect again as a couple one day?

Sorry Onlyfam, I am not in this position, but am bumping this for you in the hope someone else may see it.

If you both want to stay married, I don't see why you cannot... There are plenty of married people who do not live in the same house, but still love and care for each other. Think of all the people in the armed forces... .

Thank you. We do. We desperately do.

I haven't thought about it like that. Plenty of people have long times apart then reconnect don't they. It's not so much the geography, it's that we are not able to be 'a couple' at the moment. We are like two traumatised kids almost. (Middle aged though).