My partner has had a long battle with depression, and has history of self harm. It's recently become apparent that he has more mental health issues that have been overlooked and misdiagnosed over the years.
He decided it was time to seek help, again, which is a major step for him, as talking about his problems is new for him. He never received counselling early enough in his life when his problems began, and when he did seek help for his issues a few years ago, he didn't feel ready to work through what had happened in his past and ceased counselling.
However, after a few months, his new counsellor has told him that he cannot help him, as what problems he has are not his area of expertise and has suggested a psychiatrist.
I completely agree with this, but he views it as another let-down and can't bring himself to take the next step to seeing a psychiatrist for fear of being placed in a "too hard" basket. He believes he is doomed to be troubled and it has caused him to shut down emotionally again, seeing as he took a major step to reach out to someone, only to have them "palm him off" to someone else.
He will speak me, on the rare occasions he wants to discuss anything, and lately he's made some very concerning remarks that make me terrified for his well-being.
He says he won't do anything to harm himself, but I'm scared that by bottling everything back up is going to make him snap.
I'm here for him.
I'm not going anywhere.
I love him.
How can I help him see that he does matter and people do care about him?
3 Replies
Have you tried to explain to him that the counsellor didn't palm him off? That ethically the counsellor had to suggest a psychiatrist and that is a good thing because a psychiatrist has so many more options to support him and get to the bottom of what is going on.
That counsellors have a tiny amount of training and can not diagnosis or medicate. That a psychiatrist has so many tools in there tool box that a counsellor can not legally do.
I feel like you just wrote out my story!
My partner deals with much the same issues day in day out! After trying to get him help for the longest time and after one failed attempt to take his life, we finally started getting somewhere with getting the help my
OH needed.
Stick by him, go along with him to an appointment and help explain to the dr that he feels like his problems are in the "too hard basket"
It's a tough journey but once he is getting the help he needs he will be a different man!
Good luck
Thank you for caring for him. I'm the depressed spouse in my relatiomship. Just make the appt. Get the referral. Take him. Do your research. Find a great psychiatrist. Ask to be put on the cancellation list also. Meds first. Then psychologist. Make a diray or list to take.