How My Mental Health Affected My Relationship and What I Learned
One of the most eye opening experiences in my mental health journey was realizing just how much it was affecting the people I love especially my partner. For a long time, I thought I had to carry everything on my own. I didn’t want to burden anyone, so I stayed silent, hoping things would just get better with time. But the truth is, pain doesn’t stay hidden it leaks out, especially into the relationships closest to us.
There were days when I’d shut down emotionally, not because I didn’t care, but because I didn’t have the energy to engage. My partner felt distant from me, confused, and sometimes helpless. It was never about them, but the lack of communication created a gap that neither of us knew how to bridge at first.
What hit me the hardest was seeing my partner begin to mirror my pain sometimes emotionally, sometimes even physically. Their energy became heavy, their light dimmed. I realized that even though they weren’t experiencing the same internal struggles, their love for me made them feel it just as deeply. They carried my hurt like it was their own, often silently. That kind of empathy is powerful but it’s also exhausting.
Mental health doesn’t just belong to the person who’s struggling it spills into the spaces we share. And while love is powerful, it’s not a substitute for healing.
The turning point came when I stopped hiding how I was feeling and started being honest. I reached out for help, began setting boundaries, and encouraged my partner to take care of their own mental and emotional wellbeing, too. We learned how to support each other without losing ourselves in the process.
This experience is one of the reasons I started Osorio to remind people that mental health matters in every part of life, especially in our relationships. The more we talk about it, the more we create space for healing not just individually, but together.
If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. And if your partner is hurting too, don’t ignore it. Healing is possible, and it starts with honesty, compassion, and the courage to grow side by side.
