Emotionally abusive relationship recovery

[healthquest10]

I have always had difficulty with depression, on and off, but recently I was in a relationship that I have come to realize was emotionally abusive. During the last months of the relationship and since I have gotten out of the relationship (8 months) I have been depressed...full blown. I don't want to do anything but sleep or lie in bed, nothing makes me happy except escape (I've started drinking.) I have other life circumstances that prevent me from being able to see a counselor/psychiatrist. I am away from family and friends and I am already taking a high dose anti-depressant for my ongoing depression. I'm not sure how to get past this and/or how long it is going to take.

Has anyone else recovered from this type of situation? I was only with the man for 6 months before I realized what he was doing to me: major manipulation and emotional abuse that even a friend who is a counselor said he did amazingly well. But it took another 6 months to get away. Now I just don't know how to get through each day. And things always seem to spiral down. Does anyone have any advice?
Thank you for reading!

[inneedofhelp82]

I think it is great that you got out, that is a great start. My partner makes my life a misery and i can't leave i have children and i depend on him so much and i am really trapped. My therapist knows this but there is nothing he can do either, i can't cope alone with my children because of my mental health issues, he was away all day today and i struggled with my two youngest ones, so i am stuck here.
I hope you feel better soon and well done for getting out.

[capegirlnoshoes]

I've been where you are, it got to the point where I couldn't go outside in case I saw him and if I did see him I'd have a panic attack.  I ended up having to move to a different island for it to stop.  But anyhoo.  I got over it.  It took a long time and I didn't think it was going to happen, but it did.  Occasionally I have a nightmare about it (it was 3 years ago) but that's about it.  
Of course, it turns out that I'm bipolar II, so I have had multiple suicide attempts since, but those were for depressive eps caused by completely different things.  
So have hope!  And if you can't have hope, then just focus on enduring and try to improve something a little week by week.  Even motivating yourself to go for a walk is an achievement.  And try to stay away from the alcohol, 'cause that can really screw things up.  
I really wish you could see a shrink 'cause you sound like you could really do with one.  I hope it's not that American health system that's the problem, where you have to pay gazillions of dollars for everything.  It took me a long time to get a free shrink (I'm a poor student), but in New Zealand at least they have a more egalitarian attitude toward healthcare.  

[mammo]

You have to realize that this kind of abuse leaves us emotionally scarred.  Just knowing that you needed to get away from this man is a huge accomplishment, and doing it....another.  You are stronger than you know!  He abused you emotionally to feel better about himself, a pretty pathetic person.  Know that all he said were lies he used to beat you down, and men like this will say anything to do this.  Dwell on the fact that YOU got yourself out of that abusive relationship, are better than that and him.  Leave it all where it is...in the past.  You need to let go or you will remain his victim forever, and you don't want him to have this power over you!  His day will come. I wish you could get therapy, it would help so much, but maybe just talking with us will help?  The first thing you truly need to do is stop the drinking, antidepressants and alcohol are not to be mixed.  Alcohol takes you down a slippery slope, and you've come to far to go there!!!
Talk to us, or PM me and let's talk...okay?  We do understand and care, lots of wonderful people here who have had some serious issues as well, will help.  Don't let this man define who and what you are!  Take care.