Four years later, I proudly watched as he received his white coat and started his medical school journey.

I knew the grueling hours, academic workload, and emotionally draining experiences would be hard on him.

But I never imagined how stressful,lonely, and frustrating it would be forme.

Picture of a stethoscope

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?but I found nothing.

But a lot of people cant, and thats okay too.

Heres what Ive learned.

It helps if you accept and are realistic about your new reality.

If you start to feel like your person isnt even trying, its worth talking about your dynamic.

We all have certain ideas about how our relationship can (and should!)

satisfy our wants and needs, Dr. Kuburic says.

Its a good idea to focus on yourself.

Its almost like doing long distance….

But find your own groove!

Worst that can happen is someone wont be interested!

Dont take your partners coping strategies personally.

It hurta lotwhen I realized that he couldnt really decompress with meeither in active conversationorcomforting silence.

If they need help, they can reach out.

Otherwise, were just there to support them, and we dont need to internalize what theyre going through.

Just check that this dynamic doesnt keep happening even after theyre done with their studies, Dr. Kuburic says.

Restating your boundaries and figuring out what your needs are that werent being met is critical, she says.

And remember that pressure at work or school isnt an excuse to behave poorly in the relationship.

4. you’ve got the option to still comfort your partner while giving them space.

When was the last time they showered?

Have they eaten a real meal today?

Are they crying all the time or snapping at everyone around them?

Are there tangible ways that I can do that?

Youre allowed to decide if your relationship has crapped out.

You know that saying,If you love something, set it free?

Well, its true.

If your needs are constantly not being met, then its okayhealthy evento cut the cord.

So dont panic when things get hard (been there, done that!).

But your partner shouldnt be your only focus.

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