How to Talk About Mental Health With Your Partner

The month of May is mental health awareness month, and understanding mental health is important for any relationship to succeed.

It's important to have conversations with your significant other about your mental health. Being able to communicate with your partner is important for your own mental health as well as your significant others'. If you struggle with your mental health from time to time, or have a mental disorder that affects you often, keep reading.

If you're a partner of someone with a disorder

If you're a partner of someone with a mental disorder or mental health issues, or think your partner may have a disorder, read on and see if there are signs your partner may have wanted to be open about mental health, but was afraid or unwilling to. You may be able to make a positive difference in your partner's life.

It's actually pretty normal

According to WHO (World Health Organization), 1 in 4 people are affected by mental disorders. In fact, by the age of 38, most of us experience at least a temporary mental disorder. In a long-term study conducted by researchers via the February Journal of Abnormal Psychology, only "171 of 988 participants, or 17 percent, experienced no anxiety disorders, depression, or mental ailments from late childhood to middle age". Being "abnormal" is actually pretty normal.

Be prepared for any number of outcomes

When you open up to your partner, be prepared to receive any number of unexpected reactions. This can be one of the most challenging parts of creating mental health awareness, because it involves a deep level of trust, and in that moment you may feel vulnerable. Especially at first, your partner may not be totally receptive to what you have to say. If they are receptive, then this will help to bring your relationship and trust to the next level.

Wait until you are ready

If you're in a dedicated relationship that you anticipate to last for a long time, then you will want to prepare for the moment to tell your partner about your mental health. You should take your time, because you'll want to feel comfortable. It may help to express that the idea of mental health is very important to you, and/or bring up the topic broadly before going revealing it suddenly. You'll feel more at ease after the proposed topic becomes more of a conversation than a push for acceptance. In the best-case scenario, your significant other may already think neutrally or positively about mental health, and will not have stigmas against mental disorders.

If you feel uncomfortable with face to face, text

Use text primarily as a conversation-starter to ease the rest of the conversation, or to explain things in depth that you can otherwise express verbally in a straightforward way. In the text, you can bring up that there are some important things that you want to talk about, and this should take some of the pressure off. Remember that this isn't a break-up or anything, so you shouldn't feel bad about doing this over text. Ask to speak in person as well, so they know how important this is for you.

Wait until you are feeling okay

It will be much easier to explain to your partner your mental health if you are explaining with a clear mind. It's best to get yourself mentally ready to have a conversation where you can maturely articulate your thoughts, what you're going through, and whether you need any help from your partner. You'll want to be able to explain your thoughts and have a fluid back-and-forth.

There is a good way to explain your mental health

When trying to explain to your partner what mental illness is or what the status of your mental health is, it is best to try explain that the relationship is not the problem - Rather, you're telling your partner this because you want the relationship to continue.

Don't be afraid to ask for help

Showing and telling your partner how strongly you feel about them before describing your mental health condition will help them more easily extend their love and support. To finish the conversation tell him about how they can help or how you have been working on your mental health, so you can leave the conversation on a productive note.

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