How to Help Your Spouse Cope with Behavioral Disorders
If you’re in a relationship with someone who experiences behavioral disorders, it can be challenging and sometimes overwhelming to navigate. However, by seeking to understand the person’s condition, empathizing with them, and creating a supportive environment, you can help your spouse cope with their behavioral disorder and maintain a healthy relationship.
In this article, we’ll explore what behavioral disorders are, examples, causes, and signs of these disorders. Additionally, we will take a look at practical ways that you can help your spouse cope, including getting diagnosed and seeking therapy, validating them, focusing on their good qualities, talking and seeking help, and managing obsessive behaviors.
Understanding Behavioral Disorders
What are Behavioral Disorders?
The term “behavioral disorders” refers to patterns of behaviors that are disruptive, harmful, or prevent someone from living a reasonably interpersonally functioning life. Such disorders can manifest in adolescents and adults and may range from chronic patterns of emotional and behavioral disorders, including uncontrollable sexual urges, extended tantrums, and hostility, to constant lying, problems with authority, and unexplained rage.
Examples of Behavioral Disorders
In some cases, behavioral disorders may also lead to addiction to substances, destruction of properties, bullying, and theft. There are different types of behavioral disorders, including those that disrupt relationships and personal development, such as:
- ADHD
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
- Conduct Disorder
- Emotional or Behavioral Addiction
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Causes of Behavioral Disorders
Behavioral disorders can arise from several causes, including:
- Genetics
- Environment
- Triggers
- Physical disability
- Brain damage
- Malnutrition
- Genes
- Trauma
- Life changes
Signs of Behavioral Disorders
Signs of behavioral disorders may include:
- Defiant behavior
- Depression
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Hallucinations
- Susceptibility to substance abuse
Getting Diagnosed and Researching
It’s essential to get a diagnosis for your spouse if you suspect or notice a behavioral disorder. Seeing a licensed therapist, psychologist, or a medical doctor who is a psychiatrist will help to determine the cause, nature, and extent of the disorder.
Researching more about the disorder helps you understand it better, the symptoms, and triggers.
Empathizing with Your Partner
Empathy is key in helping your spouse cope with behavioral disorders. Beyond just sympathizing, understanding how your partner feels and what they’re going through can help them feel heard and validated.
Avoid judgmental statements and ask open-ended questions to understand their feelings such as “what happened?” “Can you explain why you are feeling frustrated?” Encouraging your partner to express themselves and listening to them validates their feelings.
Focusing on Good Qualities and Creating a Supportive Home Environment
Boosting Self-Esteem
Behavioral disorders can negatively impact self-esteem, affecting an individual’s perception of their abilities and worth. It is essential to focus on their good qualities and build up their self-esteem.
Encouraging and appreciating their efforts will boost their sense of self-worth.
Creating a Safe Space
A supportive home environment helps to build a sense of safety and promotes healing.
Positive Family Dynamics
A healthy living environment with positive family dynamics, including meals together, outdoor activities, and spending time with each other, helps calm stressful relationships.
Talk and Seek Help
Communication is Key
Communication is a vital factor when helping your spouse cope with behavioral disorders. Encourage them to provide critical information like medication history, past therapy, and prescription history.
Relationship Therapy
You can also enlist the services of a relationship therapist, who is experienced in treating behavioral disorders in relationships.
Boundaries and Support
Setting boundaries and seeking support groups can also be helpful.
Obsessive Behaviors in Relationships
Obsessive behaviors in relationships can manifest due to various reasons, including:
- The need for validation
- Controlling behavior
- Overprotective tendencies
- Jealousy
- Stalking
- Anxiety
- Overwhelming emotions
- Depression
Speaking to an experienced therapist can help your partner manage obsessive behaviors.
Survival of Marriage with Mental Illness
Maintaining a healthy marriage where one partner experiences behavioral disorders requires hard work, love, and support. Pursuing treatment and taking medication can help with self-control and emotional regulation, creating a healthy environment, and exhibiting patience, which can help a couple survive and thrive.
Conclusion
Helping your spouse cope with behavioral disorders may not be an easy journey. However, focusing on understanding, empathy, and supporting them, and seeking treatment can positively impact the relationship.
Encouraging your spouse to communicate, setting boundaries, and seeking helpful resources like therapy and support groups can significantly assist in their recovery. In conclusion, helping your spouse cope with behavioral disorders requires patience, empathy, and a willingness to seek help and work together as a team.
Understanding what behavioral disorders are, seeking a diagnosis, and researching the disorder is the first step. Empathizing with your partner, focusing on their good qualities, creating a supportive and healthy home environment, talking and seeking help, and managing obsessive behaviors are just some of the practical ways that you can help your spouse cope.
Behavioral disorders can be challenging, but with education, support, and the right resources, you and your partner can navigate them together and maintain a healthy and fulfilling marriage.
