Do I have to tell?

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  • #594658
    happiest
    Member

    I know I have to ask a rav but I’m just curious to know what people here think.

    Do I have to tell a shadchan that I have a mental health issue? B”H things are soooo much better, and of course I know I must tell the guy but do I have to tell the shadchan about my past issues?

    Also, at what point would you tell the boy about these issues? I’m thinking after 3rd maybe even a little later but I don’t know. I’m starting to freak out that no one is going to want to marry me because of these issues.

    #734090
    Sacrilege
    Member

    You dont have to tell the Shadchan but you should DEFINITELY tell the boy. When you feel it is getting serious thats a good time to tell.

    #734091
    real-brisker
    Member

    I don’t understand your question! If the person your dating would care WHY would you keep iit a secret? Just to make further trouble? And If they would not care, WHY would you mind letting them know?

    #734092
    bpt
    Participant

    Are you sure the boy (and his family) have done 100% full disclosure of their past? And just how big a “mental health issue” are we talking? Was it medication to calm your nerves during a challenging stage in life? Or is it medication that you need to be on daily?

    Sad to say, the world we live in is a pretty small one, so if its something that was really over the top, chances are the shadchan, his parents, or he himself already know, so don’t let it eat you up.

    That said, by the time you see “the question” on the horizion, be sure you tell him. Nothing sinks a ship faster than withholding info from your spouse (to be)

    #734093
    mytake
    Member

    If ur talking about popping a Prozac whenever your’re having a bad hair day or whatever (like half the population unfortunately does these days) I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. You don’t need to tell the shadchan, just the guy you’re dating.

    But if you have a real mental disorder, it makes sense to tell the shadchan, so a guy can decide if he’s interested in dating you in the first place.

    Don’t worry, bashert WILL want to marry you and he’s the only one who really counts.

    #734094
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    I don’t understand your question! If the person your dating would care WHY would you keep iit a secret? Just to make further trouble? And If they would not care, WHY would you mind letting them know?

    Most people would care, and would likely not agree to even go out if they knew. (Not that anyone is at fault for a mental health issue, but that’s human nature.) The idea of waiting to tell is that the other person might agree to overlook an issue once they have gotten to know the person. Yet, it would be unfair tho let it go too far without disclosing an issue.

    #734095
    happiest
    Member

    Real-brisker I never would keep it a secret from the boy I’m dating (if I was dating him seriously). I don’t feel the need to tell him on the first date because I would like him to see me for who I am not for my mental illness or the medicine that I’m on.

    As for telling the shadchan, I’m just not comfortable telling them. I think that they wont want to set me up (even if they say otherwise) and then my issues are being aired to the world. The more people that know, the more likely it is for the rest of the world to find out and I don’t want so many people knowing.

    bpt- I could never be sure that the boy did full disclosure but my issue is pretty major (bpd- borderline personality disorder).

    I have it very much under control and even read that it is curable with the right therapy which I’m working on. I know you will all say that I shouldn’t be dating or something along those lines but I disagree. I am doing so unbelievably well that I feel like I’m ready to move onto the next stage in life. Hopefully, I will have a husband that will be supportive of my issue but who knows?

    #734096
    yossi z.
    Member

    I would say that depending on the severity of the issue it may be a ship sinker if the boy doesn’t know to start out with

    #734097
    1dayatatime
    Participant

    Prozac is an SSRI, it’s not something you just pop

    Perhaps you mean Xanax or the likes something of the short-acting drug of the benzodiazepine class

    #734098
    bpt
    Participant

    “popping a Prozac whenever your’re having a bad hair day”

    Is that the trick? And to think, my Mrs invests $100s of Benji’s in trips to the shaitelmacher.

    Too bad she’s not wise to the new way of problem solving

    #734099
    happiest
    Member

    I can’t imagine any guy saying yes. I’m getting so sad:( I just wanna find the right guy but I don’t know if it’ll ever happen!

    #734100
    1dayatatime
    Participant

    Sure it will, don’t give up

    Everything is in Hashems hands, he performs miracles every minute, he will bring the the right Zivug

    I’m also on meds, and i’m perfectly confident that Hashem will send me my zivug, aint nothing to be ashamed of

    #734101
    bpt
    Participant

    “I am doing so unbelievably well that I feel like I’m ready to move onto the next stage in life”

    Does your healthcare professional feel the same way? If so, consider making one of the dates a joint visit. If he can handle that, you know you’ve got a winner. If he hears the clean bill of health from a pro (as opposed to a panicky parent) he’ll know how to handle the situation.

    As far as your not being able to believe that anyone will accept you as is, don’t be so sure. If he’s the one, he’ll believe in you

    #734102
    happiest
    Member

    Thanks 1dayatatime. I feel better now!

    bpt- my doctors do agree with me and I most definitely would arrange a “date” in my therapists office but I wouldn’t do that until it was very serious. I guess if he doesn’t run away right when he’s told about this issue of mine then I’m on the right path. Telling him will probably be terrifying but it’s something I will have to deal with.

    #734103
    just sayin
    Member

    Firstly i agree with bpt that you should check with the professional that you are working with, to ensure that you are stable enough to take such a drastic step (marriage). As for the other issue of wondering whether you will find him, thats something that just about everyone in the shidduchim world struggles with, and it comes back to the strength of your emuna and bitachon.

    maybe read up on some crazy hashgocho protis dating stories to help bolster yours. Not trying to change the topic of the thread here but heres a good story to start you off. I know a guy who was older about 25 and he was sort of done with dating girls fresh out of seminary for any number of reasons. So at that point in time he had two girls redt, one was 22 with a job and seemingly older more mature and the other was 19 and fresh out of seminary. so he decided to go out with the 22 year old the logical choice who was a 4 hour drive away. bikitzur two days before he was going to drive there he broke his leg and the other girl (19 year old one) happened to be in town . . . now they are happily married. point of the story is when its supposed to happen it will happen with the right person. people get wrong information forget to call certain ppl etc etc there are so many stories out there.

    good luck

    #734104
    happiest
    Member

    Just sayin- firstly, I am not doing anything without my doctors permission, they are right behind me all the way.

    Second of all- I love your idea. I’m going to start a thread so people can add to your story. Thanks for the idea!!

    #734105
    real-brisker
    Member

    Happiest – I did not read your post carefully, I did not realize you were only talking about the shadchan, and not the boy. You might dissapoint the boy if he only finds out later and would have rather known earlier, but If you do tell him, I dont see why the shadchan would have to know, unless to avoid the disapointment of the boy.

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