[iamtwilight]

...Someone who has/has had mental health issues or someone perfectly healthy who is completely ignorant about these issues?

I'm assuming we all have at least some experiences of mental health issues.

I'm not sure if my partner is perfectly healthy in the head - but I know he isn't perfectly insane either. He's been to a psychotherapist in the past though For panic attacks. Therapist said he was too introverted - and he didn't think it was a problem at all.

For me, he's pretty healthy in the end. I have all these crazy diagnoses and have been through the emotional rollercoaster - I don't think another person with similar issues, or with any mental issues could have been able to put up with me.

Even though my partner is somewhat ignorant (like, he can't understand how much I love being manic, or that my depression is a different type of depression), he tries his best to be understanding. I know he is trying, and I also know it gets very hard for him at times. But even trying is more than enough for me.

Needless to say, I'm happy.

So, what do you folks think?
This ignited an interesting discussion on a Finnish board. :-)

[wanttoheal]

[sabby]

As long as I could be with someone who is patient, empathetic, and willing to learn, that will do me just fine.


sabby

[Lenny]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Katie_Kaboom said:
...Someone who has/has had mental health issues or someone perfectly healthy who is completely ignorant about these issues?


</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I can only wonder if there is such a person as the latter..Katie...

Denial may keep things at bay for awhile but at least in our culture with such extremes in play,,it is rare to find anyone who has not had at least an issue with balance...often profoundly so..

I have found that setting any bars with people generally puts me in a position of judgement,,which I do very poorly with. I find that the more I know about anyone,,the more they are like me,,,just another person trying like hell to keep up with himself and a world that is urging him on...and everyone one of us has struggles to some degree in some capacity...

But,,,I will admit that in a world of constant change,,one that seldom ever rests,,one that is rapidly expending resources,,and one that is often bound by fear,,,I would look for a person that trys to engage solutions rather than remaining in the problem...

Trial and error is progress even when utterly exasberating,,whinning and moaning is not...

IMHO.

Lenny

[AAAAA]

I would love to meet someone without mental health issues, but I don't think such a person exists. My ideal mate is understanding and supportive. He may not understand the things I do or why I do them, but he's there cheering me on anyway.

[iamtwilight]

Aww wanttoheal, I didn't think there was anything that had to be deleted :P But it's ok!

Lenny - I keep forgetting U.S. is so different from Finland. This place isn't very multicultural - a black man (usually folks from Africa come here for studies, no tuition fees or anything) strolling on the streets will get glares, some may call him names. His Finnish girlfriend is a w***e, a traitor of her homeland. And me - half asian and half Finnish - though born and raised here - they think I should get out of here.

People with mental health issues? Nothing you should talk about even with your closest friends sometimes. Women may talk about them with their friends - but may be in closet to their parents. Men usually struggle with keeping up appearances.

Here most people don't even know what panic disorder is.

Schools educate very little on mental health issues.

Maybe that sheds a little light on why I said "completely ignorant"

AAAAA - I found out a lot of people who had been in a psychiatric hospital had found friends or partners there. The relationship failed because both were in an acute condition.

I tend to avoid developing too close relationships with people at the psych ward. *hangs head in shame* I've had a few friends that drained me, and in the end I had to go to the psych ward I'm still trying to recover from that.

Heck, I avoid developing close relationships with just about anyone really. I swear I'm working on paranoia.

rambling rambling rambling

[cheetah]

For me this is really impossible to answer. It depends on the individual person and not his/her experience with mental health issues. Just because someone has had no experience with mental health issues, that doesn't mean he/she isn't willing to learn about them.

[seeker1950]

Hmmm. Very interesting question. As a female, the men I've met on a romantic level have been uneasy with the whole idea of mental health issues, have denied ever having them, and are impatient or even frightened of discussing them. I think it's a male thing,at least in the age range I'm in (50's).
Patty

[Clandestine]

Well, it doesn't matter if he has mental issues or not, for as long as he understands/tries to understands me. You'll feel that anyway, that you're appreciated, that you're being understood. Relationship is a two-way process anyway. You both learn from each other.

My recent exbf has mental issues as well, like me.
But I just knew about it after we're over.

<font color="purple">Clandestine</font>