After being out of work and depleting our savings to live, my husband had a nervous breakdown. He took off into the woods for 2 days (he’s a former military man and has winter survival skills) and came close to killing himself. For 2 days I didn’t know where he was (he did leave a note but I didn’t find it) or why he had left. We had a good relationship, didn’t fight other than normal spousal disagreements. I knew money was tight but found out that he’d been hiding the fact that we are totally broke and behind on everything. He had always insisted on handling the majority of the finances. I’d ask how we were doing and he’d keep telling me “ok”. It’s a LONG story, but he’s started counseling and is on anti-depressants. He seems ok, but I feel like I’ve had the rug pulled out from underneath me. I’m trying to figure out this financial mess, but I need to find out from him what’s going on. Yet I’m afraid it’ll trigger too much stress. Some things can wait, but our landlord wants his $ tomorrow. That stuff can’t wait. Our car was just repossessed so I’m struggling to even find ways to get to work. I’m beginning to feel like I’m on the verge of my own breakdown. We have a 15 yr old daughter, so I’m trying to remain strong and not let her know how bad it is. I just feel like I don’t even know where to begin and that I have no one to turn to.
Just wanted to add a few things:
His beakdown was a complete shock to me. I had no indication it was coming.
My husband is a war vet and fought in Iraq, but had no history of mental instability.He has met with someone from the VA. He is the hardest working man I’ve ever known. He just completed a very short-term temp job w/UPS so he’s doing what he can.
He is my 2nd husband and my daughter’s step-father. They have a better relationship than she does with her biological dad. She knows about his breakdown and that he was keeping our real financial situation hidden. She understands money’s tight.
