My Insane sister is just ... Insane :(

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Well. My baby sister is 37. She’s insane. Card carrying insane. The clearest diganosis we have yet is that she’s Bipolar 2. Doesnt’ surprise anyone, 'cause my dad and brother are depressives. Half of my family is recovering alcoholics. I suffer from mood swings, and my son takes meds for depression. Mental illness is something you cope with, deal with, work out. Not ignore !

Long story short , we are about out of options as far as helping her. She refuses to take her meds as long as she’s “feeling Ok”. She’s a new mom now as well (the baby is 15 months). But thats just background. She treats her husband like shit.

Today, I’m really, REALLY pissed at her. grrr.

Do y’all remember when Katrina hit? The gulf states took in in the gut that day. My other little sister has a home in New Orleans. Her baby girl was supposed to start the first grade that next week.

My hubby and I opened our home to Sis #2, thinking (as they were) that the storm would blow over. When the power went out in Jackson Miss (165 miles from the coast) we gave a collective “uh oh”. :frowning:

As that day wore on, with increasingly alarming reports from the Coast coming in, by brat sister came over “because we live in a trailer and we’re afraid of tornadoes ! sob !”

All of them stayed the nite, and I didn’t mind giving the shelter, s’pecially Sis # 2 who did not know what happened to her home.

Something happened that day which I didn’t know about … until today… 'cause Sis # 2 was too polite to tell …

Even on a good day, you don 't do this. Especially if YOU have a good house (even if a trailer) to go back to… Hell even if you’re living in a tent.

Sis # 2 and her daughter (six yrs old) and Hubby are trying to make the best of it, all going to bed to sleep in a double bed (my daughters’ bed). So they are laying there chatting a little bit … pillow talk if you will.

My neice says something about Crazy Sis’s baby, along the lines of “he sure is fun to play with … such a cute baby”

OUT OF THE BLUE crazy sis bursts in the door barking with “ARE YOU PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT MY PARETING SKILLS ??!!”
I’m about ready to choke her. WTF was she doing, standing by the door ??!

Like I said, Sis # 2 was too polite to mention this to me. But, in MY house, guests must refrain from accosting other guests.

I’m going by Crazy Sis’ trailer tomorrow. We’ve go to get some things straight. BTW my hubby, brother, and brother in law just spent a brutal weekend in New Orleans trying to get the roof back on Sis # 2’s house. Where was Crazy’ Sis’ hubby? :dubious:

What would you do ? :frowning:

2

Considering this happened a decent amount of time ago, I can’t see that there is much to be gained by confronting her about it now. While it did happen in your home, if Sis #2 wasn’t willing to address it, I think it’s probably best left alone.

There’s nothing you can do to fix her mental problems. If she refuses to do anything about it, I think the best you can do is tell her that her illness if affecting more than just her and her family, and if she won’t do something to fix it, you won’t be willing to subject yourself and your family to the backlash. There are many people who would defend the actions of those of the mentally-ill, but it’s my opinion that if a person is aware of the problem, and given the tools to treat it, then there’s no excusing their actions when they refuse to use those tools.

I guess the bottom line of my opinion is: if she wants be batshit crazy, then all you can do is back out and say “Then keep it away from me.”

3

I don’t get it.

4

What good would it do to go over there, stirring up shit? I learned a long time ago that when it comes to crazy family members, you have two choices:

You can accept them crazy and all, and love and support them, even when they flip out. Or you can distance yourself, choose to stay away from the craziness, and do your best to stay close to your saner relatives.

It rarely, if ever, works to point out to them that they’re crazy and you’re not, and demand that they change. Crazy people are weird like that. They hardly ever see the light of your wisdom and turn sane on your say-so.

5

A lot of people with bipolar disorder are damn near psychotic sometimes. The paranoia of listening in on the other side of the door fits right in with that, and the behavior definitely sounds scary and offensive.

I’d agree with the opinion of cutting off contact with her when she is in the throes of the illness, except for the fact that she is raising your nephew. He (like all children) needs the presence of at least one supportive, stable adult in his life. If this were my family situation (YMMV), I would be hesitant to shut her out of your life for the simple fact that this would presumably shut the baby out of support he might desperately need.