My girlfriend has become an inpatient for an indefinite time and I can't cope!
Just a quick background about my girlfriend. She was brought up in a very bad family until the age of 12, where she was moved to the custody of her grandparents who are wealthy and one of the loveliest people around who raised her until she turned 24.
Since the day we started dating, she suffered from severe depression and anxiety and was on medication for it. Over time, through a lot of love and support from me, she started to improve significantly to the point her grandparents personally told me that I am the best thing that ever happened in her life.
After 8 months of dating, she and I made the impulse decision of moving in together (we've been dating for 11 months now). She finally landed on a secure job, but quit after a month because she couldn't handle work stress. At this point, her depression became so bad to the point her grandparents admitted her to the hospital as an inpatient for proper mental treatment. However, as much as I really just want the best for her, I'm not coping so well with it because I don't know what to expect on my end. Not only do I feel like my love and support was inadequate, she could be an inpatient for weeks or maybe even months. Not only will I be going home to an empty apartment everyday, it feels as though we'll be out of each other's life for an indefinite time.
I'm a very career and financially driven person, and my parents do not approve of our relationship yet because she's got no career drive and her depression drags me down with her, making me weaker at times. To be downright honest, my love for her is basically gambling on the hope that she'll get better some day, and there's a potential we can both lead normal lives. But what if she doesn't get better? What if we settle down one day, only to find that I'm not capable enough to handle her depression?
I had a long, honest conversation with her grandfather who thinks very highly of me. As much as he's impressed with how supportive I've been with her, he totally understands if it's too much for me to handle. He is very concerned that he and his wife (both old and quite ill) won't be around much longer and my girlfriend will have no one else to rely on. I can't imagine what she'll be going through if she loses her grandparents and then me too.
I know you guys will probably mention that if I truly love her, I would stick by her side no matter what. But I'd like to hear it from the people who are currently dating someone with some form of mental illness, I'm sure they would agree that it can be extremely difficult and draining. At this moment in time, I'm unhappy in the relationship because it's eating me from the inside and I can't focus on my work and degree. However, if I stay on with this girl, knowing I may not be able to see a future with her, would this be considered love out of sympathy?
I'm struggling so hard to think straight at the moment and I really don't know what to do. Please help me out, guys!