Know where your coming from. That's where the psych meds become necessary.
After you start to feel some relief from the deep depression, you can start
to benefit from talk therapy. But I do believe counseling is very valuable,
because if you experienced depression for any length of time, you may have
learned some bad coping strategies. The counselor can help you see a more
realistic view of the world and learn better ways to deal with stress. If
nothing else, its a safe place to blow off steam. And if you can't pay for
counseling, sometimes books are the only help available. But when your
really bad - those self help books just make me MADDER!!

Yes, sometimes being single can be much easier on you if you have to cope
with mental illness. You can focus on getting well - not on trying to make
your spouse understand. I don't know if anyone can really know what serious
mental illness without experiencing it. I've often gotten so frustrated
with doctors, therapists, social workers etc who wouldn't help or even try
to accept how bad I felt - I wished they would have a bout of depression or
mania too so they would know what its like.

My marriage ended due to my undiagnosed bipolar disorder. I must say I feel
rather sorry for my ex - he tried so hard but neither one of us understood
what was wrong - why I couldn't sleep and would go into 2-3 hour shouting
temper tantrums. Then alternate without being able to crawl out of bed,
take care of our child or even be want to eat or bathe. Thank god the
problem was finally diagnosed and I got some medical help - not just family
counseling.

Of all the people in my life, my (now grown) daughter understands my
problems best. She's honest about '"not knowing what it feel like" to be
seriously depressed or manic, but she's seen my cycles enough to know what
a struggle they are.

Hold on, it can get better.

-- maryjane