Love and caring relationships are psychological needs required to be emotionally healthy. Abraham Maslow placed love in the middle of his famous pyramid of needs. “Maslow hypothesized that psychological health was possible only when these needs were satisfied” (Lester 83). People need caring relationships and having a sense of belonging to be emotionally stable and to thrive in life, but what happens when the search for this needs results in the confusion of other feelings for love, or when people rely on the other to love and care for them. Is it really love? In The Perfect Man, Naeem Murr explores the relationship between two characters, Annie and Lew. Throughout the development of their relationship, it might seem Lew is dependent on Annie
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As times goes by it becomes harder for Annie to keep Lew connected to the world and to ignore he is only getting worse. Dealing with a mental illness is difficult for the person being affected by it and for the people around that person. In “Couples and Mental Illness” psychiatrist, Michael Crowe, states that “[w]hen there is a mental health problem in one partner… this involves the partner of the patient taking on more responsibility than before … for the ill partner or for their children” (309). In Annie’s case, she takes on the responsibility to take care of Lew for years after he is released from the clinic and keep him from getting lost in his madness. Annie often notices when Lew is drifting away and tries to protect him. She tries to stop him from grabbing his hand so he doesn’t touch his neck as it is a sign that somethings is going writing on this head. Annie tries to avoid putting Lew in a situation that might trigger his illness to arise. This also has repercussions on Annie she is often anxious and worried for Lew. She does this because she feels it is her duty because he loves her. When Baby is born Annie then takes more responsibility for him and his well-being and leaves Lew in the background contributing to the deterioration of Lew’s mental
As times goes by it becomes harder for Annie to keep Lew connected to the world and to ignore he is only getting worse. Dealing with a mental illness is difficult for the person being affected by it and for the people around that person. In “Couples and Mental Illness” psychiatrist, Michael Crowe, states that “[w]hen there is a mental health problem in one partner… this involves the partner of the patient taking on more responsibility than before … for the ill partner or for their children” (309). In Annie’s case, she takes on the responsibility to take care of Lew for years after he is released from the clinic and keep him from getting lost in his madness. Annie often notices when Lew is drifting away and tries to protect him. She tries to stop him from grabbing his hand so he doesn’t touch his neck as it is a sign that somethings is going writing on this head. Annie tries to avoid putting Lew in a situation that might trigger his illness to arise. This also has repercussions on Annie she is often anxious and worried for Lew. She does this because she feels it is her duty because he loves her. When Baby is born Annie then takes more responsibility for him and his well-being and leaves Lew in the background contributing to the deterioration of Lew’s mental