Hello everyone, I’m coming here in search of advice from people in longterm relationships that have figured out how to support their partners through depression cycles. My partner of a little over a year has been going through a shit ton of changes. Throughout this year, he has made a life path switch after not being able to get into grad school and he’s been struggling with it and, his closest friendships have grown extremely distant. Moreover, he has a really toxic relationship with his parents who emotionally abuse him but he still lives with them because he feels obligated to stay near them because he’s their primary support system (they’re elderly). There’s also cultural and religious reasons. His other siblings moved out due to the toxicity, which left him with the responsibility. His parents also take their negativity and resentment out on him. This has left him feeling extremely depressed and as someone who is extroverted he’s been feeling abandoned, negative and lonely.
He’s expressed that he doesn’t like that he only has me to talk to and that he needs more human connection.
I feel really sad for him and have tried to give him advice on ways to work on himself and to see these experiences with his life path and friends as blessings in disguise and to hold onto the happiness in his present life but it doesn’t seem to help. I honestly don’t know what to do…
I feel myself getting anxiety that our relationship will suffer because of all of this and that he’ll resent me or get tired of me. The relationship is slightly depleting because of the negativity and he’s become extremely pessimistic and somewhat mean towards me. I even notice the energy starting to rub off on me. What can I do for him? Is it worth sticking around?
TDLR: My partner has been going through a depression cycle. How to support him through it in a healthy way?
1 comment
He’s only 27, how old are his parents? Elderly is like……80.