Marriage and Mental illness - A bird’s eye view from a Psychiatrist’s Perspective

The relationship between marriage and mental illness is complex. In India, families perceive that marriage might cure mental illness. In this context they hide true facts before marriage which further complicates the lives of the mentally ill person and their spouses. There are huge gender differences when it comes to the way a mentally ill person is treated by the society especially after marriage. Women with mental illnesses mostly encounter broken marriages in India and are stigmatised not only by the illness, but by the social attitudes to marital separation and divorce. Approximately 30% of women with schizophrenia live, at least temporarily, with spouses. They are often subjected to domestic violence and neglect. In India, it has been reported that 53% of men abandon wives who develop schizophrenia. Persons with mental illness cannot be deprived of their fundamental right to marry and live a life of dignity. They cannot be denied the right to receive treatment. Mental health services need to be aware of such possibilities and be prepared to intervene effectively for the sake of the marital couple and their children. Through this symposium we will discuss on the ways Psychiatrists can intervene into this issue.