Topic: Husband with depression spiralling out of control — (Beyond Blue)

My husband and I were high school sweethearts. We have been together for almost 12 years and married for 4.

He was diagnosed with depression not long after we were married and in the last 4 years things have been spiralling downward-especially over the last 12 months.

He has previously run away and on one occasion hitchhiked for 3 days without a phone call-I thought he had committed suicide-I was a wreck.

After that occasion, I took him to the hospital to see a psychiatrist -he admitted he was on the edge again and willingly came. The counsellor he saw was rude and nasty. She accused him of abusing me due to needing to lock doors etc with possible OCD tendencies. He came out feeling worse than when he went in. He avoided their follow up calls and now is reluctant to get help. He has taken himself off anti depressants and lost his job. He has been unemployed almost 6 months-he hid it from me until I was getting phone calls regarding unpaid bills. As a result we had to move into my parents house-very reluctantly.

I don’t get along well with my mother. His family are not around-he had a tough upbringing and doesn’t have much to do with his family as a result.

I am now finding myself almost 30 yrs old and living at home on 1 income. I am hanging by a thread and feel myself sinking into depression. I had such big goals and aspirations and can’t see a way for my husband to get out of this slump. My family don’t understand and think he is lazy.

I am not sure what to do anymore…