by Michele Marie Friend Metiva

Created on: May 22, 2008   Last Updated: February 19, 2011

A marriage that includes a diagnosed partner with a mental disorder or defect has a 100% chance of success. Vows of honesty, trust and passionate day-to-day support are the key elements of any successful functioning marriage or partnership.

"People who don't realize mental illnesses are as real as heart disease or cancer and require and respond well to treatment tend to keep their symptoms and feelings to themselves," says Oscar Morgan, chief operating officer of Mental Health America. "But understanding that mental illness isn't a weakness or defect in character helps people seek help and proper treatment so they can achieve wellness and balance."

"People who experience emotional disorders don't have to suffer without help," Morgan says. "It's entirely possible to mend the mind through therapies and support services. Don't be afraid to ask for help. It's a sign of strength, not weakness."

"Every year, one in four Americans suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder that interferes with their ability to function at work or school or in their daily lives, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Some people may have more than one mental disorder."
Healthline'

The key to successful living with any type of diagnosable disorder, mental or physical is getting good treatment. Treatment for diagnosed mental disorders require an active support group, prescribed medications, mental illness awareness and education combined with group therapy, one on one therapy and consistent effort to use the resources available for this biological disease.

I firmly believe that personal disorders of any kind communicated immediately bring the basic honesty to the relationship. Not only is honesty necessary for psychological compatibility but most diagnosed mental disorders are biological giving way to the possibility of carrying the disease to the children of a marriage union.

This honesty of mental disorders between two people considering marriage must be complete with both parties informed by professionals of all side effects of the disorder in question. Honesty combined with education of both families and friends involved directly or indirectly with this marriage is necessary.

National Association of Mental Illness or NAMI is the most widely used source of information in the nation for the treatment steps or to begin any process of suspected mental disorder of a loved one, friend, family member, colleague or oneself.

NAMI chapters are growing quickly in your town and

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