Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Start entertaining people.
Call a bunch of women - neighbors, gym buddies, coworkers, friends, relatives - for tea/coffee, a play date in park with your kids, book club, cards, a walk around the neighborhood, potluck dinner, movie night, wine and cheese after dinner, go to the museum, picnic at the front lawn etc. Keep the food simple and filling - pizza, fruits, sandwiches, cheese platter, burgers, hot dogs, salad etc. Later on, extend the invite to their husbands too.
We entertain a lot and it does the following - keeps our house and yard well maintained (forces us to clean), it keeps the kids entertained because they have friends to play, teaches the kids how to host, gets us invites from others, helps us to meet others so that the marriage is not the only source of companionship, extend our social network so that eventually you meet a few besties.
For me, I try to focus on meaningful friendships. It really does help.
I think a lot of people on DCUM don’t have marital problems. Or don’t have as severe of marital problems as they think. Instead, they need friends.
Yes. They are expecting their spouse to meet all their social and emotional needs. It’s unrealistic and limiting.
Once your mentally disordered spouse has a diagnosis you can come up with a healthy coping plan and life plan.
But a healthy and functional spouse can be there for you emotionally, physically, and supportively way more than an unhealthy dysfunctional mental illness spouse.
I’m not talking about anyone being “mentally disordered.”
I’m saying modern marriage as an institution often places unrealistic expectations on people. Read Esther Perel.
Anonymous wrote:Start entertaining people.
Call a bunch of women - neighbors, gym buddies, coworkers, friends, relatives - for tea/coffee, a play date in park with your kids, book club, cards, a walk around the neighborhood, potluck dinner, movie night, wine and cheese after dinner, go to the museum, picnic at the front lawn etc. Keep the food simple and filling - pizza, fruits, sandwiches, cheese platter, burgers, hot dogs, salad etc. Later on, extend the invite to their husbands too.
We entertain a lot and it does the following - keeps our house and yard well maintained (forces us to clean), it keeps the kids entertained because they have friends to play, teaches the kids how to host, gets us invites from others, helps us to meet others so that the marriage is not the only source of companionship, extend our social network so that eventually you meet a few besties.

Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Start entertaining people.
Call a bunch of women - neighbors, gym buddies, coworkers, friends, relatives - for tea/coffee, a play date in park with your kids, book club, cards, a walk around the neighborhood, potluck dinner, movie night, wine and cheese after dinner, go to the museum, picnic at the front lawn etc. Keep the food simple and filling - pizza, fruits, sandwiches, cheese platter, burgers, hot dogs, salad etc. Later on, extend the invite to their husbands too.
We entertain a lot and it does the following - keeps our house and yard well maintained (forces us to clean), it keeps the kids entertained because they have friends to play, teaches the kids how to host, gets us invites from others, helps us to meet others so that the marriage is not the only source of companionship, extend our social network so that eventually you meet a few besties.
For me, I try to focus on meaningful friendships. It really does help.
I think a lot of people on DCUM don’t have marital problems. Or don’t have as severe of marital problems as they think. Instead, they need friends.
Yes. They are expecting their spouse to meet all their social and emotional needs. It’s unrealistic and limiting.
Once your mentally disordered spouse has a diagnosis you can come up with a healthy coping plan and life plan.
But a healthy and functional spouse can be there for you emotionally, physically, and supportively way more than an unhealthy dysfunctional mental illness spouse.
Anonymous wrote:Totally agree with the poster suggesting to entertain people. I did a full marital audit in a recent bout of loneliness and realized my husband was never going to be enough for me. I invested more in friendships (male and female, parents and non, work and neighborhood), and though it's constant work, it has filled my cup more. An unintended consequence is that sometimes it draws my husband out of his cave more, but I try not to put too much stock in it because, ultimately, he will never be enough for me.