I’m on antidepressants after my wife decided to walk out on me
DEAR DEIDRE: My life has fallen apart now my wife has left me, taking our children with her.
The pain is so bad I can’t sleep, eat or work.
My GP prescribed antidepressants, but they won’t change the situation.
I’m 45 and my wife – I can’t bring myself to say ex-wife – is 43.
We’ve been married for ten years and have two sons, aged seven and five.
Last month, she told me she’d been unhappy for years and couldn’t take it any more. She’d already found a flat and was leaving me.
It came completely out of the blue. I thought we were happy, with just the usual couple issues.
She says there’s nobody else – she just doesn’t love me any more.
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I’m devastated and hate the thought of being a part-time dad.
My sons are my world. I don’t know how to get over this.
DEIDRE SAYS: You’re in shock and while this is incredibly painful, it will get less raw, and you will find a way forward.
Perhaps there were signs you didn’t spot, but you can’t make your wife change her mind.
You need to accept what’s happened, even if it’s not what you want.
It’s good you’ve asked your GP for help. Antidepressants take time to work and they’ll help you cope better.
You can still be a great dad to your sons and your close bond will help all of you.
Read my support pack, Mend Your Broken Heart, and think about having some counselling.