Tips for Divorcing Someone with Mental Illness

 Posted on August 20, 2015 in Divorce

Divorce is always difficult. However, divorcing someone who is suffering from mental illness can be all the more difficult—and has the potential to even become dangerous. There are several mental health issues that can lead to divorce, or contribute to a reason for it. Sex addiction, drug addiction, alcoholism, and mental instabilities, such as bipolar or borderline personality, can all make a marriage impossible to sustain in the long run, or even temporarily. Other situations in which one partner suffers from a less definable mental illness, such as someone who is severely passive-aggressive or a narcissist, can be just as delicate to navigate during a divorce.

When it comes to process of marital dissolution, spouses who are dealing with a partner suffering from mental illness will invariably face more challenges than those who are not. Some of these challenges can include aggressive legal strategies or, in some cases, even stonewalling. If your spouse is a pathological liar, for example, it is imperative that you organize evidence and proof of any claims before entering the courtroom. When you are dealing with any person with mental illness, especially if you are the one who initiated a contested divorce, compromise, honesty, and fairness will not likely be part of the dealings. Because of this, you will need to seek legal assistance from a professional who is familiar with these types of cases.