1000-Lb Sisters star Amy Halterman wasn’t doing well in season 5, and it was hard to watch her suffer as her marriage to Michael Halterman fell apart. Formerly calm (mostly, anyway) and a “rock” for her sister Tammy Slaton, Amy went off the rails. For years, she looked after other people, but eventually, she found it hard to take care of herself and her children. While she was battling a trio of untreated mental health issues (Amy didn’t know she had bipolar disorder, acute stress disorder and depression), people were judging her, including Michael and Chris Combs.

These days, people talk about mental health awareness, but when people see friends or loved ones displaying textbook symptoms of depression, such as crying jags, they may not really understand what’s happening. They may not realize that the person they’re judging is mentally ill. That’s why learning about depression, bipolar and other mental illnesses is so important. If 1000-Lb Sisters‘ Michael Halterman had taken the time to really try and understand what was going on with his wife, he might not be divorced today. Instead, he refused to change. Michael didn’t help with the kids, and he was too controlling.

How Amy Halterman’s Untreated Mental Illnesses Hurt Her Marriage

Amy Halterman Couldn’t Manage Her Emotions

Michael should bear most of the blame for their split because he wasn’t giving one hundred percent as a father. He wouldn’t even take care of both of his children at once. If Amy wanted to leave the house, she had to take a kid with her. That meant that she never, ever got a break from the relentless but joyful grind that’s parenting. She began to lose that sense of joy that comes from hanging out with babies and toddlers. They are adorable, but she never got enough rest, and her untreated mental illnesses were wreaking havoc.

Michael should have known that his wife was very depressed. Anyone who knows the symptoms of depression could probably informally diagnose Amy after watching her in 1000-Lb Sisters season 5. While she didn’t display the highs and lows that are part and parcel of bipolar disorder, she did show obvious symptoms of depression. She was exhausted, hopeless, crying… just overwhelmed by life.

Amy might have bipolar disorder II. That’s the less severe form of bipolar. Bipolar I is the most serious, with intense highs and lows. Rather than a lot of manic phases, where the person is prone to overspending, hypersexuality and staying up for days on end, the person with bipolar II has lows. Since Amy had terrible lows onscreen, and was battling depression and bipolar at once, it’s no wonder that her marriage failed.

According to Mayo Clinic, people with bipolar disorder II have this characteristic:

• Bipolar II disorder. You’ve had at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode, but you’ve never had a manic episode.

In contrast, people with bipolar I have this characteristic, as per the same source:

• Bipolar I disorder. You’ve had at least one manic episode that may be preceded or followed by hypomanic or major depressive episodes. In some cases, mania may trigger a break from reality (psychosis).

Michael Wasn’t The Right Man For Amy Slaton

Amy Slaton Was Right To Move On But She Had Problems Too

Michael wasn’t the right husband. Amy couldn’t count on him to do his fair share. Perhaps he was using Amy, but maybe she was hard to live with too. She was quite mentally ill and her sobbing and complaints might have pushed him away.

After the season, Amy showed her courage by getting help for her depression and other mental illnesses. Now, she’s focusing on her mental health. It’s even more of a priority for her than maintaining her 176-pound weight loss. Of course, keeping her weight on the lower side matters a lot, just in terms of her health. Her weight may also impact her self-esteem. However, she’s right to prioritize her mental health right now.

Michael Halterman Ran Away From His Problems

Yes, He Didn’t Want A Divorce But He Shirked Adult Responsibilities

Michael tried to hang onto Amy, but her mind was made up. She couldn’t deal with the fact that he wouldn’t be a proper husband and father. He seemed to spend most of his time trying to shirk his duties. He made very little effort in light of the fact that cameras were following him. It was shocking how he’d put it all on Amy, who clearly wasn’t well.

While Michael gets dragged for refusing to give Amy her bank card, there’s always the chance she has manic phases that make her prone to spending too much money. These kinds of spending binges are definitely linked with the disorder. If she wasn’t doing that, then there’s really no excuse for his controlling behavior. It’s just so insecure and annoying. If Amy did overspend sometimes, that’s some sort of explanation, but overall, Michael’s conduct in his marriage was low.

By failing to consider his wife’s feelings, health and more, Michael dropped the ball in an epic way. He seemed like a very weak man. Amy was exasperated with him, but viewers never really heard him share his innermost feelings about his marriage. He got a villain edit and probably deserved one, but his take on things would be interesting. What does he have to say for himself? And how does he feel now, knowing that Amy has all these mental illnesses? This is something that people should know.

So, living with a person with untreated mental illness isn’t easy. Amy may not have been the ideal wife, but at least she tried to care for her kids Glenn and Gage. Michael was also hard to live with because he wouldn’t try. He just abdicated from being a father and husband. He did the bare minimum and expected Amy to be content with that. Michael expected her to just swallow the fact that he wouldn’t give her access to her own bank card.

This stuff is truly unbelievable. Michael obviously has issues of his own. Possibly, the fact that both were troubled initially brought them together – however, it eventually tore them apart. 1000-Lb Sisters star Amy has a long road ahead. She seems to have split up with her latest flame, “Kevin,” Amy‘s been posting some bitter messages online. Maybe Amy should put her dating life on pause and focus on mental health, her friends and her children. Amy has her family too, including her sister Tammy, who helped her so much in season 5.