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I have been married for over two years and I have a hurdle in my life called schizophrenia. It is great being married, sharing your life with somebody you love and will be with for the rest of your life. I do definitely recommend marriage to anyone who wants to do it, but it does take work.

I feel that communication is a big issue if you do not use it. You have to be honest with your partner about your feelings no matter what stage in your life you're in. I recently had a breakdown and my marriage has suffered because of that. I sometimes feel depressed about this stupid thing called schizophrenia, but I do have to remember that this is going to be me for the rest of my life. Why not then look positive at life.

I feel it is important that in a good marriage there should exist support and positive thinking because without that you may as well call it quits.

When I say support I mean an understanding between you and your partner. For example, my wife, she is not a consumer. I find it very hard to relate to her on issues of mental illness because she does not understand what I am going through. I do feel though that she is trying her best. I personally did not prepare her for the time when I could be ill again because I thought that would never happen. I had a job, I was in college and had a roof over my head. What could be finer? Then the breakdown, my third in total, but this time I was married.

I did not know what to do or whom I could turn to. Thank goodness I did not go to the hospital or else who knows what could have happened with my marriage. My wife was looking for emotional support and I just could not give it to her. I was in a world of my own, my paranoid world where no one could enter. I was all alone and no one could break in. It was as if I was in a room with glass all around, I could hear everyone but no one could hear me. Not even my wife. That was frustrating.

At present my wife and I go to a marriage counselor whom we have been going to for over a year. We have definitely grown closer through this but you have to remember to not be in denial about your illness and share it with your partner. Communication and preparation is best because we do not know what will happen in our lives next.

Take one day at a time. Do not go overboard.

Marriage is not so depressing, but I wanted to point out that it's best to communicate with your partner, so you can both live long and healthy lives together without any hassles or the ups and downs of mental illness getting in the way.