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.

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