To My Boyfriend Who Is My Rock Through My Mental Illness

I believe anybody is extremely lucky if their partner is also their best friend, but I also believe it takes a special person to be a rock to someone with a mental illness.

To my boyfriend:

You are patient, you are understanding, you are kind, you are considerate, you are amazing and I couldn’t do this without you.

You know me better than I know myself sometimes and you constantly pick me up and tell me how proud you are of me for fighting this everyday and reassuring me when I am feeling worthless.

You stick by my side even when I am snappy and unreasonable and lose my temper for silly reasons.

You support me in my decision-making when I am being indecisive by helping me lay out all my options and making it easier for me to come to a decision because you know I find it difficult. When I have finally come to an outcome, you back me 100 percent and reassure me constantly when I am doubting myself.

You are there with me when I have to go to appointments no matter what, even if it means you missing out on something for yourself. You always put me first and do everything you can to make life that little bit easier for me and be there so I never have to face anything on my own.

You try your hardest to understand me because you know how real the worry is inside my head. You try and put yourself in my shoes and understand the way I am feeling in order to get a better understanding.

You never say I am being dramatic. You simply point out the obvious when my mind is too foggy to see it myself.

You can sense when I am becoming anxious and do everything you can to get me out of that situation or help as much as you can to make me feel comfortable again.

You never question my reasoning, you understand sometimes there isn’t always a particular reason why I am feeling anxious, but you never question its validity.

I don’t tell you enough how much I appreciate all you do for me because I can be too wrapped up inside my own mind to acknowledge it. You give me so much support without expecting anything back, but most importantly — and the reason why I love you so much — is that you don’t see me any less of a person since you found out I have a mental illness. You have been by my side all the way, putting me first when most people would have run away.

These are the reasons why you are my special person. You are my rock.

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