MYTH: Asking about mental health history is too personal when dating. Dating should be an exploratory and fun time. But it should also be a time for people to learn about their partners, ask questions about previous relationships, family history and personal challenges. Dating someone who suffers from a mental illness, especially one that may be chronic but not psychotic, can be similar to dating someone who struggles with other personal tribulations. The way someone acknowledges and deals with living with an illness speaks volumes to their quality of life, and ultimately your quality of life as a couple.
MYTH: People always know they have a mental illness. Adults with mental illness may not always know they have it. It can take a loving partner to gently point out what they see about a person’s mood or thought process. If you find that someone you’re dating presents with concerns of a possible mental illness, the first rule of thumb doesn’t have to be to run the other way. Be patient and see if what you’re concerned about interferes with your getting to know the person. If it does, then address what you see at an appropriate time. The gesture may or may not be well received but it will at least inform you as to whether you should proceed with that person as a serious candidate or not. Listen to your gut!
#MentalHealth Myth Buster: Dating Someone With Mental Illness Will Make Me Sick, Too? was originally published on blackdoctor.org
