What Depression Looks Like in a Relationship
It’s a cycle of toxicity that if not addressed might ruin both ends.
I’ve had my fair share of struggles with depression, but luckily I won.
However, it came at the cost of a long-term relationship. I was not happy with the course my own life was taking and that took a serious toll on me and my partner.
The relationship became toxic to the point it was unsustainable.
Since I was in a bad spot, I started to take everything for myself. That led me to believe that my partner was better off without me. I felt like a burden.
I didn’t want to trouble her with my own demons. I had to “protect” her.
On the other hand, I was constantly needing reassurance that my partner actually loved me.
The love that my partner was giving me was lost in translation, as I was struggling to connect with her — as with everything else.
It was a constant battle between withdrawing from her and having an increased need for emotional support.
As I was feeling more and more drained, I started putting less effort into the relationship. Date nights were not enjoyable anymore as I was numb.
In turn, my partner started to become frustrated as her efforts to help were falling sort of “curing” my depression.
Intimacy also became a problem as we were further and further away from each other.
It spiraled down to the point where we both became toxic to each other.
It was time to end, so we did.
Depression is a pain in the ass. It slowly kills you and the relationships with those you love.
Don’t let it consume you as I did. Love is strong, but sometimes it’s not enough.
If you see it coming, ask for help. People will help you.
Inspired by a fellow creator, I decided to challenge myself to publish 100 short-form articles within January. This is article number 44.
