MTMI Podcast Intro July 2023

Approximately 1 billion people worldwide have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, and millions of them are in relationships. The challenges of loving someone with a mental illness include balancing their needs with your own, struggling to find help, dealing with anger and resentment, and finding support for yourself. This podcast, "Married to Mental Illness," aims to discuss these issues and provide resources for healing. Hosted by Christine, who shares her own experience of being married to a spouse with mental illnesses. Visit www.marriedtomentalillness.com for more information. According to available data, there are 1 billion people in the world diagnosed with some form of mental health disorder. There are some 2.4 billion people who are married in the world and infinite unmarried couples. It stands then that millions of people are in relationships with a person with mental illness. Have you ever felt the weight of loving someone with a disabling mental illness? The constant struggle to balance your own needs with those of your partner while navigating the uncertainties and fears that come with sharing your life with someone who is battling their own mind. As unwitting primary caregivers, we often find ourselves asking, where is the help? Why is it so difficult to obtain meaningful medical and psychological services for our loved ones? And when we do find assistance, what do we do when our partner refuses to engage, or to be honest, or to even show up? What about the anger, disappointment, and resentment that can arise? Do we allow ourselves to feel these emotions? How do they manifest in our daily lives? In the midst of chaos and pain, where do we find the courage, strength, and support we need? When will our own mental health be treated as important as their illness? With expert guests and others living similar experiences, we'll strive to find answers as we discuss brain health and its illnesses, dealing with stigma and isolation, and finding resources for help and healing. Join me on a journey of love, loss, crushing loneliness, resilience, and faith as I share my story of surviving a marriage to a spouse with sometimes debilitating mental illnesses. My name is Christine. This is Married to Mental Illness. www.marriedtomentalillness.com