My husband recently relapsed after 9 years of sobriety. He is currently in a rehabilitation center. He has opened up to me and the staff of incestual sexual abuse as a child from ages 4-10. He says he has been wanting to commit suicide for years, he is very depressed and rarely happy. He will be released soon and I am very concerned about what I can do to support him.
Hello and thanks for writing in. I understand your concern for your husbands mental health issues. From the description of his symptoms, it appears that he is suffering from chronic depression, also known as Dysthymia. You have also mentioned that he is very troubled by his past issues of child sexual abuse. Considering all these issues, it would be advisable to take him to a psychiatrist for a detailed evaluation and further professional help. There are effective treatment options in the form of antidepressant medication or psychological therapy. Specifically, there are therapies like Psychodynamic psychotherapy which can help him overcome his childhood trauma.