Your mental health, just like your physical health, has a massive impact on your daily life. It affects how you act, what you prioritize, the way you treat the people around you, and even how you feel about yourself. So it’s a no-brainer that metal health (just like physical health) will have an impact on your marriage. After all, there’s no way to live with someone for years, in close proximity and great intimacy, and not have that relationship be directly affected by what’s going on inside your head. Or inside your partner’s head. But can that lead to divorce?
Mental illness has been the cause of divorce for many couples
Mental health issues, especially the more severe versions of illnesses and disorders, can be extremely debilitating and cause a great deal of stress. Bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, anxiety, and depression can all make life very difficult for the person with that diagnosis, and for the people who love them and rely on them. A spouse with a major mental health issue may struggle to keep a job, putting the family’s finances in jeopardy. Also, a persona with major mental health issues might struggle to provide reliable child care, putting an enormous strain on their partner to pick up the slack. This added burden and stress has led to divorce in many cases.
Leaving a partner with a mental health condition can be very hard
In the same way that choosing to divorce someone who was recently diagnosed with cancer can look heartless, ending a marriage because of a mental health diagnosis can seem cruel and unsupportive to an outsider. But many people don’t realize how debilitating, and in some cases frightening, it can be to stay married to someone with a mental illness. A partner who cannot safely care for your children is a serious issue. In the same way, being married to someone whose periods of mania lead to compulsive gambling, or whose crippling anxieties make even the simplest of tasks, like grocery shopping, impossible. This can make a relationship very difficult, and family life practically impossible.
You have to decide based on what’s best for you and your kids
When deciding if you want to stay in a relationship or not, you have to decide based on what’s best for you and for your children. So if your partner’s mental health concerns put your children’s wellbeing at risk, or puts undue strain on you, divorce may be the answer. However, if you love your partner and their mental health concerns aren’t putting yours (or anyone else’s) safety at risk, you may be able to stay in that marriage quite happily. In the end, you have to decide what’s best for you, and what’s best for your children. And if that means leaving your marriage, even if other people judge you, or are critical of your choice. In the end, only you can decide what’s best for your future.
If you choose divorce, make sure you get a really good lawyer.
For those of you who decide that you’re ready to end your marriage, for whatever reason, we urge you to call The Kronzek Firm at 866 766 5245 for a free consultation. Our experienced family law attorneys can help you with every part of your divorce, including custody, alimony, asset division and even personal protective orders. We’ve been helping people from all over mid-Michigan with the family law concerns and needs for decades, and we can help you too. Don’t wait, or hope your problems will solve themselves. Call us 24/7 and get the right help from the right people.