The advice was
'Support him,
try to help him.
He needs sleep when he’s tired
(even if it’s all day).'
'Try to talk to him,
he’s hurting inside.
Help him,
he needs you.'
I believed that,
and I tried.
I tried until
I felt almost gone
My words disappeared!
A glass pane formed
between myself and the world.
I didn't know
I could go too far.
Give too much support.
No-one says that,
who would have thought?
I didn’t know
support can become a crutch.
He could settle,
no need to improve.
Who would have thought?
Depression is real.
It just doesn’t mean
that you are first always,
or that you don't need to try
or talk to your spouse.
That was just -
taking advantage.
I do know that depression is real, I really feel for sufferers. That's why I stayed for so long. I just didn't realise... I was enabling it. That's not in the self-help books. Now, he's actively trying to get help...