Can we become stronger while managing ADHD within a marriage?
It’s no secret that navigating and maintaining a marriage can be difficult sometimes. But what if your spouse has ADHD or is undiagnosed and living with ADHD? In either case, communication is extra challenging and can seem impossible at times. Oftentimes the partner dealing with ADHD within a marriage is inconsistent, and that can lead to tension. If your partner can be forgetful about simple household tasks, or seems uninterested or distracted more often than not, he or she might be living with ADHD or another attention deficit condition.
Though the issues are small, they often build up to be one large problem in the relationship. Having a partner with ADHD can create a level of frustration that’s hard to understand, but luckily there is a fix. Nowadays, we know a lot more about the characteristics of ADHD. And that makes treatment and maintenance much easier. Today, psychiatrist Dr. Jennie Byrne of Cognitive Psychiatry of Chapel Hill is our guest, and she has answers to some of the burning questions about conditions like ADHD within a marriage.
To find out more about Jennie and her practice, or to seek help for a similar situation, visit her website or call (919) 636-5240 to schedule an appointment.
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Does your marriage partner think that the world revolves around them?
There’s a lot of good information out there to help a troubled marriage survive, but when it comes to a marriage in which one spouse suffers from narcissism, there are very few resources available on how to make it work. Some statistics suggest that many troubled marriages contain one partner who has some degree of narcissism – and the outcome is fairly predictable.
When one spouse thinks that the marriage revolves around him or her, it causes extreme stress on the entire marriage. Usually the other spouse recognizes the problem, repeatedly tries to fix the issues and, unfortunately, is unable to change things.
Often, a marriage with this kind of stress will easily collapse but John O’Donoghue believes there are solutions. In many cases, he suggests the most important factor for change is the ability to understand how the narcissistic partner thinks and the willingness to accept it.
John O’Donoghue is a marriage and family therapist with John O’Donoghue Therapy Services in Raleigh, NC. John specializes in providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples and families. He helps people understand what life is like with a narcissistic partner and works to try to make marriages successful when one spouse is narcissistic.
To learn more about John and his practice, visit his website or call 919-341-2477 to make an appointment.
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Is your marriage strong enough to endure the challenges of autism?
Living with a family member on the autism spectrum can make communication difficult. Whether it’s your spouse, your child or yourself, trying to break through the communication barrier to have a fulfilling relationship can be so taxing that it takes away from other family relationships. In many cases, families’ lives begin to revolve around the needs of just one person – and then, everyone suffers.
Adults begin to feel isolated from one another because they’re suffering from guilt, stress and grief. When the special needs family member is a spouse, feelings of isolation can become even more extreme – and can even lead to divorce in some cases.
How do you move past these challenges to lead a happy, fulfilling life? Is it possible to salvage a relationship that’s been eroded by years of difficult struggles?
Abbe Colodny is an outpatient therapist with Therapeutic Partners in Raleigh, NC. Abbe received her Master’s in mental health counseling and has extensive experience in diagnosing and working with those with autism and other developmental delays. Abbe has used her specific training and experience to work with individuals, couples and families struggling with autism.
To find out more about Abbe Colodny and her practice, Therapeutic Partners, you can visit their website or call 919-233-7360 for an appointment.
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