Health & Wellbeing Together
16 guides
Stress and Mental Health
GuideTestCoping with stress as a coupleCouples tend to cope best with stress when they treat it as a shared problem: tell each other what's going on, ask what kind of help would actually help, and go gently when you're both worn out. Feeling distant under pressure is common and doesn't mean you're failing.GuideTestLooking after yourself while you support a partnerSupporting a partner can wear you down, so protect your own sleep, food, rest and friendships, and say your limits kindly. Support means being present and letting them make their own choices, not fixing everything. Share the load and treat the strain as something you handle as a team.GuideTestSupporting a partner with anxietyBeing there, listening and showing you care is the heart of supporting a partner with anxiety, without forcing a conversation. When they ask for reassurance again and again, try naming the feeling rather than answering the question each time, and agree that approach together when things are calm.GuideTestSupporting a partner with depressionNotice changes that last, such as low mood, poor sleep, low energy and pulling away. Raise it calmly by saying you're worried, listen without rushing to fix things, and ask what would help. Suggest seeing a doctor as a first step; only a health professional can diagnose depression.GuideTestTalking about mental health at homePick a calm moment, share in stages, and say whether you want advice or just a listening ear. As the listener, care and curiosity matter more than having answers. Treat mental health as ordinary life, and take medication side effects to the prescriber rather than managing them alone.GuideTestWhen your partner is in crisisIf your partner may be thinking about suicide, ask them directly; asking doesn't put the idea in their head. Listen, take them seriously and stay with them. If they have a specific plan, they need help right away, and a health professional should be involved.
Self-Care and Energy
GuideTestDifferent energy levelsWhen one of you has more energy, share the load kindly: offer a swap as a question, give each other short breaks, and let whoever has more in the tank cover for now, then switch. Watch for changes from your partner's usual self, and check in gently.GuideTestRest and downtime togetherRest together tends to slip when life gets busy, so it helps to protect it on purpose. Small things count: ten quiet minutes, a regular check-in, one shared activity with a date. After a stressful stretch, expect some friction and go gently with each other.GuideTestSelf-care in a relationshipLooking after yourself and looking after the relationship tend to work together, not against each other. Protect small, regular pockets of time for what recharges you, say what you need plainly and kindly, and give your partner the same room. Boundaries are about your own choices, not distance.
Healthy Habits Together
GuideTestAlcohol, drugs and gambling in a relationshipHeavy drinking or drug use can strain a relationship and wear on the partner living with it. If your partner wants to change, stay calm, talk when they're sober, focus on how things affect you, and get support for yourself too.GuideTestHealthy habits as a coupleCouples' habits tend to rub off on each other, for better or worse. Invitations and practical help work better than pressure, and small, repeated steps beat grand plans. Exercising together may help, though it's no guarantee, so try it and see what suits you both.GuideTestSleep as a coupleSharing a bed changes your sleep rather than clearly making it better or worse: many people feel they sleep better together, even when measures show more disturbance. Sleeping apart isn't a sign of a failing relationship, so talk openly about what each of you needs and agree what to try.
Illness and Caregiving
GuideTestADHD and neurodivergence in a relationshipADHD and autism can bring strain into a relationship, often through emotions, forgetting and an uneven load, though this shows up on average and not in every couple. Learn how it shows up for your partner, share whole jobs, say what you each need plainly, and adapt on both sides.GuideTestCaring for a partnerCaring for a partner changes how you two relate: roles shift, much of the work goes unseen, and some couples grow closer while others feel strain. Keep routines you both value, share day-to-day tasks, plan ahead together, and look for outside support before things reach a crisis.GuideTestChronic illness and disability in a relationshipLong-term illness or disability can strain a relationship, and it can also bring a couple closer. Couples who cope as a team tend to report better relationships and wellbeing. Share the load by what each of you can do now, and revisit the split as things change.GuideTestWhen your partner is illCouples tend to cope better with a serious illness when they talk openly about how each of you is really doing, ask what kind of help is wanted, and face it as a team. For health decisions, agree how involved you each want to be, and keep the person who is ill at the centre.