Hi All,
I don't know whether I'm venting or looking for advice really. I Have been with my partner for 6 years, we are mid-late twenties and live together. Our relationship was what you could call perfect before but now I'm really struggling.
My partner's siblings both have mental health issues. One has/had an ED but is doing well now. The other is struggling with OCD and anxiety which causes them to self harm and want to commit suicide. My partner and his family are just trying to keep them alive at this point (CAMHs is not very helpful but that's another thread).
I feel like it is putting a strain on our relationship. Obviously my partner is worried and sad all of the time as he is a big support to his family (at the moment he is doing one week with me, then one week back at home as his parents are falling apart), but then there's nothing I can do to help apart from giving a cuddle when he wants one but that makes me feel useless. He's a very selfless person always helping everyone including his friends but then he will complain that no-one cares about him and he puts in more than he gets out which is upsetting.
But then I feel selfish because he will be feeling 10x worse than I am and I know I am not perfect and could probably do better but I am also struggling myself with issues. This is all complicated by the fact that I don't have siblings and there are other underlying relationship issues (I have gained 2 stone since we met and he has admitted he finds me not as attractive leading to us barely having sex, he is in incredible shape but probably has orthorexia, I previously felt very self conscious and undervalued and selfishly kissed someone last year which my partner knows about and has moved on from.)
Has anyone been in a similar situation and had a light at the end of the tunnel?