Hi there
I read your website with great interest. My husband is diagnoised 2 months ago with clinical depression (well the psy did not actually use those words, just "depressive state) with most of the classical symtoms. Apparently he has had it for 3-4 years now. As girlfriend-then wife, I have always thought those moments of stress or low-points in his life were just phases that normal people go through until about 2 months ago, things got really out of hand and I started to feel abused, that I managed to drag him to a doctor.
ANyways, my question is how can I help as wife? It has been so difficult living with and facing him everyday with his mood swings. Thoughts of divorce has crossed my mind constantly, but I fight very hard internally to stay and help him. More specifically, let's take the advise to maintain a healthy and regular sleep pattern. Many similar websites to yours suggest 8-9 hours sleep. My husband sleeps more than 12! and he wakes up tired and lethargic. Fine. I am no longer angry with the excessive sleeping per se now that I know it is a condition he cannot control. But I know and he knows that he should sleep less. The trick is how to get him out of bed! At the waking moment itself, he cannot get up. I tried to gently nudge him but either 1) he grumpily reasons tht he has to sleep more or else he'll feel tired later adn will nap later 2) he gets violent and yells at me to leave him alone. Even if I know that all these is the depression talking, it is not easy for me to deal with for one. For another, my own feelings of helplessness aside, question is HOW to get him to get out of bed??? How to help him? I want specific instructions. Otherwise, it is just going to feel more helpless after knowing about the situation aand still not knowing what to do.
In short, what should I do specifically to help him?
Thanks
Cookie monster