Dear Prudence,
I recently started dating someone. She is funny, smart, thoughtful, beautiful, and a great conversationalist. I really like her! She has also casually mentioned things about her life that concern me, including a history of IV drug use, daily alcohol use, a DUI, alcohol-related ER visits, suicide attempts, questions of a personality disorder, and, most recently, that she receives adult rehabilitative mental health services. Is continuing to date her a huge mistake? Is it ethical to continue? How do I determine if she has given (or can give) enthusiastic consent? Are my concerns valid, or are they just a reflection of the stigma of mental illness?
—Dating and Mental Health