Will My Husband Still Love Me After He Comes Out Of Major Depression?

Question:

my husband fell into a major depression and thought i was out to get him a basically became the enemy, he checked himself in because he knew there was something wrong he has been gone for 6 days now i have not seen or spoke to him will he still love me as we work threw this?

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Answer:

Of course I cannot answer for your husband but I can provide information and facts for you and try to make a guess as to how he will feel after he recovers from his Major Depression.

Major Depression is a serious mental illness that is accompanied by suicidal thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, extreme tiredness and the inability to get out of bed, loss of sexual desire and either severe weight gain or loss. If untreated it can result in suicide. In addition to these common symptoms of Major Depression, some people can experience hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations refer to the individual hearing, seeing, smelling, or tasting things when there is nothing there. Delusions refer to thoughts that have little or nothing to do with reality. One of the most common types of delusions is of the paranoid type and that is what your husband was experiencing.

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When the psychiatrists in the hospital are able to stabilize your husband on the correct combinations and dosages of medication he will feel much better as his symptoms abate. Delusions, such as hallucinations commonly take longer to fade and disappear but this will occur. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that, once back to his baseline or normal functioning, he should feel the same about you when he returns home as he did before he became ill.

As his wife you have the right to visit your husband in the hospital and to speak to his doctors about how he is progressing. I am not sure why you have not seen or spoken to him for six days but a psychiatric hospitalization does not mean that a person has fallen off of the face of the earth. I would suggest that you call the hospital, find out the visiting hours for the psychiatric section and visit him. If you feel unsure then call the hospital and ask to speak to one of his doctor’s before you visit and get their OK just to reassure yourself. By this time I would expect that your husband has started to feel at least a little better. A visit would reassure yourself and him, as well.

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To repeat, just to reassure yourself ahead of time, call the hospital, ask to be connected to his unit and ask the doctor or nurse for advice about visiting. You can also ask to speak directly to your husband. He is in the hospital, not in prison.

Best of luck.

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