When you think of a professional who can help you with your relationship problems, you may imagine a counselor or therapist who specializes in couples therapy. You know the type of people we’re referring to. You and your partner sit in an office and duke out your issues, or perhaps one person goes in. When your relationship is falling apart, yet you want to keep it alive, you may go to a counselor as a result.
However, you may wonder if a psychiatrist can help your relationship. As it turns out, yes. A psychiatrist isn’t going to work the same way as a couple’s therapist, but they can help in their own way.
Mental Illness and Relationships
One of the big reasons relationships may fall apart is due to issues involving mental illness. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, anger issues, and other mental health problems can take its toll.
When you’re in a relationship with someone who has a mental illness, you should be empathetic and want to help the person however you can. With that said, this can be easier said than done. Some people in a relationship may hide their mental illness, or downplay it.
Also, while the partner may be empathetic, the person’s mental illness can put a strain on the marriage or relationship. When someone with depression can’t help with chores, or someone with autism has a meltdown, the person in the relationship may have a hard time coping.
Mental illness can lead to other relationship issues as well. The person may have poor intimacy issues due to their condition, such as anxiety over having sex, or they’re taking medication that lowers their libido. While sex certainly isn’t everything in a relationship, it’s still quite important.
Another issue that mental illness can bring is codependent behaviors. The person in the relationship may end up enabling the person’s mental illness, even if they don’t mean to do it. For example, if one person in the relationship is an alcoholic, the partner drinking in front of them or offering them alcohol may be an example.
Speaking of addiction, that’s another mental illness that can ruin a relationship. Addiction can put a financial strain on the relationship, or it could lead to the addict’s personality changing over time.
Someone who was a nice person may become more toxic and prone to anger issues.
How a Psychiatrist Can Help
Psychiatrists can help turn a strained relationship into a great relationship, and here are some ways they do so.
Helping The Partner Understand the Mental Illness
Sometimes, it can be hard for a person with a mental illness to explain what their issue is. The person who is in the relationship with them may not understand it fully, either. No matter how empathetic you are, it can be difficult for you to comprehend some aspects of mental illness.
A psychiatrist helps by going into detail about the person’s mental illness and showing both parties how they can manage it.
Talk Therapy
Psychiatrists aren’t known for talk therapy, but some of them do implement it. The psychiatrist may be able to help the person with the mental illness manage their issues through mindfulness and meditation, or through cognitive behavioral therapy. In addition, they may be able to help the person’s loved one cope with the many challenges presented by the person’s mental illness.
Prescribing Medication
Psychiatrists do have an infamous reputation for prescribing medicines, but the truth is that many people with mental illnesses need it. A good psychiatrist won’t be a pill pusher, but instead someone who helps the person find the best medication for them.
Changing Meds
As we said earlier, there are often times when a person with a mental illness may need to change their meds. Sometimes, the medication can make a person emotionally numb, or have other undesired side effects, which can challenge the relationship. A psychiatrist can work with everyone involved to change the medication and help them transition from one med to the other.
Connecting You With a Couples Therapist
Finally, there’s the fact that psychiatrists may know therapists who can help the two of you with your relationship. Many couples therapists have worked with people who are dealing with mental illness, and a psychiatrist may know someone personally who is the right fit for the job.
A Good Relationship is Possible
When you’re in a relationship with someone who has a mental illness, it can be a challenge. However, every relationship comes with its own set of challenges, and being in a relationship with a person who has a mental illness can also be rewarding, too.
Why not talk to a psychiatrist, be it in-person or online, and see what they can do for your relationship?
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