Posts by James Myers39

You’re right to be angry, because I am personally feeling nothing but fury, disappointment, and sheer exhaustion. While I truly empathize with my sister's medical condition, I simply cannot wrap my head around how her illness seems to manifest exclusively when dealing with our family, yet conveniently vanishes whenever she needs to go out with her boyfriend without a single panic attack or bout of anxiety... It is always somehow our fault—whether it's because we don't have enough money or because we don't live in a major metropolis like New York City. Since her boyfriend lives in a different state, she demanded we create total chaos in our household until we finally shelled out the cash for her to rent an apartment just so they could be together. Because it's just me and my dad working, this has become an immense burden on us, especially given the current economic crisis here in the States, as we are footing the bill for her private psychiatrist and all her medications. When I finally hinted that I might not be able to continue subsidizing her rent, she accused me of being unsupportive and cruel, claiming I didn't understand her and even threatening self-harm... Yet, when she heads off for the weekend to see him, she goes completely dark on her phone for days, acting as if we don't even exist. Every time it's her birthday, she expects whatever expensive gift she wants, and her wishes are anything but modest. Meanwhile, she never remembers our birthdays; she won't even send a simple text message. When I told her how much that hurt, she just brushed me off saying, "What do you want from me? I have no money," which is a blatant lie, as she certainly has enough for a text... On one occasion, I tried to stay over at the apartment—which, mind you, I am paying for—and she flatly refused, telling me she couldn't because her only joy is being alone with her boyfriend and I was "ruining" it for her. She isn't working, despite her psychiatrist stating she is perfectly capable and that having some form of employment would actually be beneficial for her recovery. When our grandmother passed away, she claimed she couldn't attend the funeral because the stress was too overwhelming, yet when a friend of hers died, she was there day and night, seemingly unaffected by any stress at all. I honestly can no longer distinguish where the illness ends and where pure rudeness and manipulation begin. I understand that psychosis involves a distorted perception of reality, but I cannot comprehend how that reality functions so selectively... and perhaps we, as a family, have also failed to set proper boundaries regarding her condition. I no longer know what is what.

I have a sister who has been battling schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for five years now. Living with someone in that state is an absolute nightmare, and I found myself nodding along to everything Darak 7 and Sad-gril were saying... These individuals often possess such massive egos—which is precisely why they fall ill in the first place—because they demand to be the center of the universe at all times. No matter what you sacrifice or attempt to do for them, it is never enough, primarily because they simply refuse to engage in the recovery process. I have poured so much of my time, my finances, my strength, and my very soul into trying to help her that I am now starting to experience my own mental health struggles, yet I haven't even managed to help her... That is why your mother, Sad-gril, is absolutely right; you have to live your own life and refuse to let anyone drag you down into the abyss, regardless of whether it is a father, a brother, or a sister. For me, the atmosphere in my house became utterly unbearable, which forced me to move out, and I can finally say I feel better now that I have escaped that crushing psychological pressure... It is especially devastating when you realize that you are powerless to save someone who does not want to be saved.