Suffering from a mental illness such as anxiety and depression is one of the biggest setbacks in life, especially when it comes to relationships. Having anxiety and depression does not make you unloveable, unworthy, not enough, or broken. However, that is exactly what the mental illness makes you believe.
The lost mind.
The tired eyes.
The trust issues.
The dark world.
It all seems like too much.
How could anyone love me, when I can not even love myself? The question lingers in the back of your mind, whenever anyone says that they care. They will leave too is embedded into your mind. It does not matter how many times someone tells them otherwise, they just do not see themselves as worthy enough to be cared about. They feel weak and tired constantly, even if they have spent the entire day asleep. No amount of sleep can cure the exhaustion they feel inside. The darkness is forbidding them to see the strength and beauty that is carried within. They are trapped inside the darkness with no way of knowing what is outside of it. That is why, they hold the belief that they are not worthy of the love so willingly given to them.
If you ever fall for someone who suffers from a mental illness, you must be certain you are able to be there for them, every step of the way. There will be dark, cold and lonely days, but there will also be bright, warm and loving ones. Be prepared to love them through it all. You need to realize that they are not a broken toy — they do not need to be fixed. All they need is someone who says that they are there and prove it by sticking around. Do not push them to open up their mind to you; it is not as easy for them as it is for you.
Be gentle. Be patient. Be kind. Most importantly, be there. If you take the time to be there for them, you will see there is more to them then what they portray. A beauty unlike any other lies within the ones who have fought the most demons. Their storm does not define them but that does not mean their storm is temporary. Falling for someone with a mental illness can be challenging. They will pull away and push you even further away, but it is worth it. They are worthy of so much more than they think. Their mind may be a dark place but their soul can be absolutely beautiful.