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Husband moves out
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hi there .. this is my first time writing on a forum and i'm just not sure where else to turn. short story is my husband and best friend has chronic anxiety, trauma and now depression. he has daily suicidal thoughts and talks about needing to 'create space' for himself. we have 2 children (7 and 9) one of which is particularly high energy. his anxiety has kept him 'stuck' for many years and as a result our dreams and plans have been shelved/ignored and our home is a constant unfinished project. i have tried to give him space, freedom, time .. i have never complained about being the sole breadwinner in the family and have never applied any pressure to him but as a result i feel the 'stuck' situation just becomes more real. this morning he announced that he needs to leave to stay at a friend's house to give himself more space as his psychologist that he visits weekly is 'worried about him' and fears if he continues on the path he is on he will end up in hospital or dead .. i have tried to discuss medication with him for his depression but he just says he has tried everything - as a result he uses alcohol and doesn't sleep. he is concerned that he is a 'bad parent' and wants the space to 'make himself a better parent and husband'. i am not sure our marriage will survive this and i feel as though i have lost my best friend. i have to try and remain upbeat about the situation for our kids but just feel upset, hurt and deserted. i am wondering if anyone has any advice who might have a better understanding of his current mental state than me. thank you 🙂
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If you would like some additional help finding support for your husband, we would recommend that you get in contact with MensLine Australia who provide a free 24/7 telephone and online counselling service for men or those concerned about a male. You can contact them on 1300 78 99 78 anytime or https://mensline.org.au/
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Hello Kowhai, and a warm welcome to the site, I am terribly sorry that you are in this position, as I was in exactly the situation as your husband and know that not only he needs help but also realise that you should also be talking to someone, starting with your doctor, that's something my ex didn't do, unfortunately.
When your husband has chronic anxiety, trauma and now depression and daily suicidal thoughts then as much as you love him, anything you do to try and help him, he may not be able to respond to, only because of his illness and please you shouldn't take any blame at all, something you need to realise, and in saying that, it means that you need help just as well as he does because you have yourself and your 2 young kids who will be asking you questions, that you might not be able to answer.
Help for these 2 can be found on Kids Helpline, 1800 55 1800 by trained counsellors, who dress in casual clothes, which can break down a barrier and make it much easier for them to talk to.
Some people suffering use alcohol as a self medication, that's what I did and in hindsight, I wish I hadn't, but I can't change past tense, now I don't drink at all.
It's not easy for someone suffering to understand the love shown by their family and it's impossible for them to even mention this to another person, simply because this illness prevents them from knowing what it actually means.
One way to understand what this means is to talk with your doctor, where they may suggest offering you a 'mental health plan', which entitles you to 10 Medicare paid sessions per year, although because of this virus you may be able to have more sessions, your doctor will know.
At the moment please look after yourself and your two kids, as this is your thread, but please come back so we can talk about your husband and ask any question you like.
Take care.
Geoff.
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Thank you so much Geoff .. I appreciate your insight and honesty .. it helps to hear from someone on the other side
maree
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Hello Maree, thanks for getting back and we hope you are able to let us know how it's going as we know it's a very difficult situation you're in and realise it does seem to be a great concern.
Please ask any question that troubles you.
Take care.
Geoff.