Today’s installment is the last installment for our series on dating with a mental health disorder, which we have been taking a look at for the last four weeks. As this series comes to a close, we feel that it is important to briefly review the topics we have covered and to leave our readers with one final point.
Week 1: Our discussion in the first week of this series focused on the benefits of forming a friendship with the person you are interested in before jumping into a romantic relationship. While there is nothing wrong with starting to date the person you like right away, developing a friendship with them first can be a good way for the two of you to gradually become familiar with the intimate details of each other’s lives without having to navigate the unique pressures of a dating relationship.
Week 2: In week two, we emphasized the significance of processing your past and working toward self-improvement before entering the dating scene. No one is perfect, and you certainly do not need to wait to feel “perfect” before pursuing a romantic relationship, but giving yourself time to reflect on your past experiences and heal emotional wounds is imperative to the recovery process of any mental health crisis. Working toward mental and emotional wellness in collaboration with a therapist and devoting time to self-improvement will ultimately set you up for success in future relationships.
Week 3: Week three of the series focused on pacing self-disclosure and emotional intimacy in a new relationship. While we clarified that secrecy and deception are never permissible, we encouraged those who struggled with mental health difficulties to be conscientious about how and when they decide to share the details of their story with a new romantic interest. Vulnerability is powerful and essential to the strength of any relationship, but a certain level of trust and confidence in the relationship should be established before exploring its depths.
Week 4: Finally, in week four, we discussed the process of having an open and honest conversation with your partner about your mental health challenges when the timing is right. As was explained in detail, this requires taking a leap of faith and allowing yourself to be fully seen by the person with whom you wish to cultivate long-lasting love. Reaching this level of transparency is necessary for a meaningful and truthful relationship to take root, but how you choose to communicate the details of your situation to your partner is up to you and is a highly individualized process.
Conclusion: Having a mental health disorder does not have to lead to romantic rejection.
If there’s one key point that we hope our readers will take away from this series, it is that struggling with mental health challenges should not preclude anyone from dating and developing long-term relationships. Hard work, patience and responsibility will inevitably be part of the process, so actively commit to engaging in personal therapy and self-development above all else. A great deal of change and adaptation will be required, but if you believe in your ability to make positive moves in the right direction, the right people will take notice.
source https://www.bisayanews.com/2022/03/01/suggestion-no-5-dating-with-a-mental-health-disorder-advice-columns/
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