Thank you for stopping by.
Follow @modern.therapist
It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.
– Friedrich Nietzsche
– Friedrich Nietzsche
Depression is a very commonly used word today. However, we must understand that while depression is a state of mind, clinical depression is a serious concern. In this article, we will only talk about clinical depression and the personal problems a person may face while dealing with it.
- Advertisement -
A person suffering from depression is already fighting life on many levels. If that person happens to be married, there are other responsibilities that are going to demand his contribution. Amidst all this, problems for that person just keep on increasing. It is very necessary to let the person be, to give him/her space and time of his/her own. Albeit reality is harsh, the hope of a miracle shouldn’t be dismissed.
Know How Depression Can Affect Your Marriage
There are many perspectives we need to consider when we talk about divorce due to depression. The intensity and stage of the depression matters a lot when separation is being discussed. Let’s continue reading to see whether divorce is the only solution.
Emotional Connect
Depression, even on a small scale, kills the emotional connect two people share in a relationship. If you have to sustain a relation, you need to put in emotion from both ends. If those emotions are not reciprocated, the other partner is bound to feel ignored and neglected. Two people get married because they understand each other better than anyone else does.
If one partner suffers from depression, the other has no one left to rely on for support. The increasing emotional gap distances the partners. If you are suffering from depression, try talking to your partner; he/she will understand you and will try to help you fight it. If nothing seems to work even after a long time, one of the two might want to opt for divorce.
Continuous Negativity
When a person suffers from depression, he is continuously thinking about negative aspects of his/her life. The person can’t see positivity in anything, marriage included. When there is continuous negativity in the marriage, eventually there is only sadness. Happy moments, slowly become extinct.
There is nothing to look forward to in the relationship. This means that the relationship isn’t growing and has become stagnant. After a time, the other partner will stop taking initiatives to renew this marriage and it may lead to divorce
Extra Responsibilities
Does depression cause divorce as a result of too many responsibilities? Yes, it can. This is a perfect example of depression after pregnancy. Many women suffer from postpartum depression and this leads to a lot of stress on the married couple. The birth of a child should be a reason for happiness. The couple needs to start living this new life together.
However, in these circumstances, the wife goes into depression and the responsibility of the newborn is left to the father along with that of his job. The marriage is anyway going through a truckload of problems and now, due to these extra responsibilities, the husband’s professional work might also get affected.
Guilt
If one of the partners is in depression for a long time, the other one starts taking the blame for it in one or the other way. There are many partners who tend to be supportive and who try to help. However, when things don’t seem to improve one bit, there is a lot of emotional chaos. People might even start thinking that they are emotionally incapable of supporting their depressed better halves.
When the depressed person distances himself/herself in the marriage, the other partner at times, starts believing that he/she isn’t worthy of that person. In such circumstances, a divorce can be thought of as the solution.
Another Understanding Shoulder
Depression can lead to a partner seeking comfort outside the marriage. This can be the person who is going to depression or his/her spouse. What you need to understand, is that this is only going to increase the distance between both of you. Try to stand by each other during such situations.
It’s very easy to find escape routes and to find the easy way out. However, the easy option isn’t always the right one. If this problem isn’t understood in time, intimacy of one partner with someone else might lead to divorce.
After reading through this piece of information, I think it is safe to say that yes, depression can lead to divorce. If you are going through depression, think of your partner as your strength. If your partner is going through depression, I would advice you to help as much as you can. Yes, it is very stressful but marriage also means that you are there for each other in sickness and in health, isn’t it?