My parents are a good example of why you should watch your spouse’s mental health

My mother is in her 70’s and has been a great mom. Last year, my dad passed away after a long battle with dementia. Now that she has time to chill and look back on their relationship, a lot of not so great things have come to her mind. Like how he used to make fun of her cooking constantly, and how he cheated multiple times but she forgave him because of the pressure from her family. My dad also used to spend all his money on useless stuff without ever consulting her, and she had to take extra jobs to provide for basic needs. He also didn’t love her the way she loved him. She’s in therapy now, and trying hard to work through her resentment and pain.<br><br>She regrets not leaving him even though her family members told her to, she regrets not standing up for herself, she regrets not loving herself enough, she regrets not making better choices. Even though she’s trying to be brave, it’s very clear she’s not okay because she gave her all to someone who didn’t value her and she missed out on a lot because of it. <br><br>So to whoever is thinking of ignoring the constant mental and emotional abuse they’re getting from their spouse, or is tolerating their spouse’s bad habits, please rethink that decision. I know it’s hard to leave, I know it’s hard to end things and start fresh. But trust me when I say it’s better to be alone than to be in a relationship where you’re constantly being drained. Your mental health is what will stay with you until the day you die. And one day, you will realize what’s truly important.<br><br>Edit: To the people who are saying that my parents relationship is not a good example of watching your spouses mental health, I apologize for the confusion. What I meant was that my parents are a good example of why one should WATCH their spouses mental health because if they dont, it can lead to resentment and a lot of other negative outcomes. What happened to my parents is the result of NO ONE watching my dads mental health.