My wife's feelings totally changed after mental illness?

Hi Daryl, Is it just you that she shows less emotion or is it in general? Also some anti depressants can make you pretty much sexually defunct. Six years is a long time, and I take my hat off to you for sticking with it. A lot of people don`t realise how debilitating mental health can be. I hope there is someone on here who can give you more advice than I can.

Kind Regards, Al 

I am being treated for severe depression but I have not had an effect similar to your wife. However I am the principle carer for my wife who has Altzheimers. I am trying to get help as a carer. I am on a waiting list after having had an initial assessment. It sounds as if you should be receiving carer assistance and advice. Your dcctor should be able to refer you to the right people.

With my best wishes.

My wife is off drugs (but only takes them when a relapse occurs) - it just seems that the person who came back to me  6 years ago is the opposite of who they were. I was their everything and she was mine - and the person who came back had no interest in me or my feelings. It is hard to have and build back a relationship with only one person trying and she just does nothing, as the whole marriage and family disintergrates (without a word said to save or fight to put it to right). I have become a mess inside due to all of this.

Like to know if this is enough to contact her doctor about any of this?

Some medicines play with the person and how they react with their emotiins. I was close with my sister over 45yrs she went on something, I think prozac and turned into a nasty selfish cold hearted person. Some people told me it alters you, not everyone but some people are effected. Maybe they have an underlying issue as well.Many many do not do that and her reaction might be her own but i have heard of it before. Otherwise you need to learn more in general about your wifes condition and about your wife. She is battleing something beyond her control. Notify the doctor if she has lost her emotions, i do believe libido is effected by ant depressants. And think about your daughter because she needs love too.saying that the other side of the coin is .. Sir your wife is ill and i understand how its hard on you but rememebr your wedding vows? No one signs up for their spouse to be ill. There must be a way for you to figure out from someone how to care for her. Very few woman abandon their spouse but it seems some men just do not look at their wives a family and walk if they get ill after a while and that is incredibly upsetting. This situation is a rough one and you have your hands full and i have no clue what her diagnoses is but she is your family and needs you. Your daughter really needs you as well, please think of her state of mind in all this. A tremendous amount of stress to cast upon a young girl. Bad enough she has Mom who is ill but watvhing her Dad walk out to find happiness for himself and leave is really rough in a child and sends a terrible message. Maybe their is a compromise here that exists. Maybe there is therapy for you to learn more or see what other spouses do to handle this. Is there a cure for your wife?is there a medicine out there that can place s all in a manageable level and return your loving wife! You need to ask. Whilst she is fighting foe her sanity and her survival please try and figure out where you can go for some advice and help. I am not trying to be mean here but you need to think this through as being a part of a family.

I totally understand your viewpoint above this - and is why I am 6 years down the line still battling this. It truly is like dealing with a drug addict the comparrission, no matter how much time and care you show - they are on a course of their own downward path.

She is fine with my daughter, but with me its just a mask to look like normality (but just has no depth to her in any emotion) - so the basic care / belief / passion that a wife has for their partner is not there. She would rather eat and read books than heal our lives and get our happiness back and make life have its meaning.

I have talked and talked and tried reason that we need to rreconnect and become a couple again and be as one - but it has just been me doing the work towards this. She cancelled the appointment that I wanted with the doctor who treated her - I wanted to be there to raise my concerns, as I had left the doctor a letter in advance of this to state my concerns about loss of emotions.

She does not work - my thing is that she just seems to have no feelings and emotions that make us human / man and wife. The important stuff in life is what I am trying to say. Its as if none of what has happened is important for her to be involved with. She is never on drugs (only when a relapse happens)....but my belief is something went away from her on returning from the first Mental Episode 6 years back. Nothing was the same with her towards me from that point on and I could sense a change - as the connection to me was just was not there.

Booked myself appointment with her doctor and seeing them this Monday...need answers and help.