If you or your partner is in need of urgent mental health support, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Today, I welcome psychiatrist (and close friend) Dr. Lisa Benton-Hardy to the show. Dr. Hardy is Board Certified in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry and has been practicing for over 20 years. In the first of this two-part discussion of mental health in the context of relationships, Dr. Hardy addresses:

• Signs of mental health challenges and what she calls going "0 for 2"
• Causes of mental health problems 
• The mind-body connection

We go on to discuss the numerous ways individual mental health struggles impact relationships, and then Dr. Hardy describes the following common conditions that one or both partners may experience:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• ADHD
• Substance abuse

Dr. Hardy shares how the acronym CAGE can help determine if symptoms rise to the level of being a problem, and the steps to take to get a proper diagnosis (and that doesn't include taking advice from "Dr. Google" Lastly, we discuss co-dependency and enabling behavior within relationships.

If you like what you heard...

• Follow Practically Married with Paula Holton your favorite podcast platform to get every episode!
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• Follow @getpracticallymarriedon Instagram to tell us about your experiences using the strategies you hear on the show!

Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Sage Holt-Hall