Marriage can be challenging — even under the best of circumstances. The fantasy of marriage is that, once you’ve found your soulmate (or at least a good stand-in), everything else is downhill.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

All of the stress (and stressors) of a long-term relationship are magnified when one or more of the people in the relationship is dealing with serious mental health issues, such as depression or bipolar disorder. Mental illness amplifies existing problems, and creates new ones while both people in the marriage cope with trying to also cope with the illness together.

That’s why I’m pleased to bring you our newest blog, A Moody Marriage by Rita Brhel. Rita is a writer and editor, and works for Attachment Parenting International. She married her college sweetheart in 2002 who, at the time, had undiagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder and later developed Rapid-Cycling Bipolar Disorder.

Please give Rita a warm Psych Central welcome over at her new blog! I look forward to reading her insights and perspective on living with someone with mental illness, and learning to grow despite having to cope with the disorder as a part of her long-term relationship.

Because, after all, all good, healthy marriages require work and tending.

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 2 Dec 2011
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.