Perhaps one of the most complex questions in relationships is "Why?" Why would you want to be involved with someone who suffers from mental illness? Why would you want to suffer yourself? Why would you stay?
I suggest that this falls into a category similar to any kind of abusive relationship. Why would you stay with a man (or woman!) who beats or verbally degrades you on a regular basis? For some the answer is as simple and as complex as the emotions behind the word "love". For some it's an economic issue, and for others it's guilt.
The reasons are many, because we are many different kinds of human beings, and human relationships are complex. Mental illness complicates the issue even more.
So why did I, like so many, stay? And perhaps more importantly, why did I choose this in the first place?
The answer is love, and then a sense of responsibility. I fell in love with my husband the moment I saw him for the first time. I found out about the illness only later, when I'd already decided that he was my life partner. And the rest is history.
Of course in an ideal world, we'd all think carefully before falling in love. But love doesn't work that way, does it? So we fall and get hurt and get up. And in the end, I'd like to think that we're better for it.
posted by Cathi @ 2:02 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home