Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help!
Answer   ||    Advanced Search

Ask your question or search...
International Sites: Nederlandse experts vragen
User Name 
Password 
Join   Forgot password? 

Home > Health & Wellness > Mental & Emotional Health   »   Solving Midlife Crisis?

Question
 
 
#1  
Old Feb 11, 2007, 05:19 PM
gladdad
New Member
gladdad is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1
gladdad See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Solving Midlife Crisis?

I have been very happily married for 14 yrs or so to a wonderful woman! However, she has suffered from depression and hospitalized for mental problems for the past 4 yrs. I have grown distant and seem to have lost our connection and am considering a divorce. She insists I am going through a Midlife Crisis...I have looked it up and so see similarities-
Q- how do I tell the difference in wanting a divorce Vs. midlife crisis???
If it is the later- how can I pull myself out in time to save our marriage (we have two children)

Reply With Quote
 
     

Answers
 
 
Old Feb 11, 2007, 06:08 PM   #2  
Ultra Member
valinors_sorrow is offline
 
valinors_sorrow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,942
valinors_sorrow See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.valinors_sorrow See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.valinors_sorrow See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.valinors_sorrow See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.valinors_sorrow See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.valinors_sorrow See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
At first glance I perhaps see that you are probably not accounting for how much of a load it is to have a spouse who is ill. Its easy to think its one or both of you when its really the depression causing so much distant. I know depression firsthand and it can be tough. And on some level, it doesn't matter what the illness is, it matters the direction its going and the resources you have to accomodate that direction. You might want to evaluate it in that sense.

Another thing I can think of that I don't necessarily see in the information you provided is time for yourself. My spouse and I have a joint vacation but then we also have separate vacations too. Maybe you ought to consider that for just you. Take a short trip. Get out of town, get a different perspective.

These are not easy or lightweight concerns you have raised here and to be fair to them, I believe they require indepth exploration like the kind found in the running dialogue you would have with a face-to-face counselor over time. Why not seek someone out and allow yourself a more detailed examination. I have been to a counselor quite a few times and can offer suggestions and guidleines, if you are interested in that course. They are not just for the mentally ill. Mine is more like an advisor to me now that I have healed from the other stuff.

A small word about midlife crisis-- I don't think you solve them. I think you choose how to respond to them. I could easily be seen as currently having one. Shoot, I shocked everyone (except my spouse) quitting my job of 12 years but it really was a matter of being driving out over an ethics crisis and my unwillingness to compromise. But it is a time to feel a bit lost and reconcile how little time is left and begin making critical desicions that reflect that understanding too.

I hope this helps if only a little but again, I think it will take more than what can be offered here.
  Reply With Quote
 
     

Your Answer
Email me when someone replies to my answer
Join Login



Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes
Ask your question or search...



Similar Threads
Is this just a mid-life crisis?
(16 replies)
Middle Name Crisis
(1 replies)
Many Crisis
(1 replies)
career crisis
(1 replies)
relationships crisis
(2 replies)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Show Printable Version
Email this Page Email this Page
Search this Thread

Advanced Search

Bookmarks





Copyright ©2003 - 2009, Ask Me Help Desk.
All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:06 AM.