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My sister is dealing with extreme, destructive rage every day and I'm scared for her—where do I even

Started by Daniel Castillo5 · · 👁 5 views · 12 replies

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Participants Daniel Castillo5feralstag72granitefalcon26Charles Thomas43Larry Wilson25David Parker8Kate Young3George Allen71Paul Anderson2driftinggull21Harold Robinson4Eric Gray2crimsoncanyon2
Daniel Castillo5 Daniel Castillo5 NewcomerOP
1 message
joined Aug 2012
#1 ·
Hello everyone.

I am struggling.

My nineteen-year-old sister has exhibited incredible outbursts of rage for the past four or five years—the kind where you simply stand there in disbelief that your own sibling is behaving this way—every single time our family attempts to communicate with her. If things do not go exactly her way, whether it involves a significant life decision like choosing a college major or a trivial matter such as oversleeping an alarm or asking someone to run to the store for cigarettes, she descends into a state reminiscent of the girl from Exorcist. It involves hysteria, slamming doors, screaming, and profanity so severe that it leaves me, as the older sibling, feeling utterly shaken.

Naturally, the blame is placed upon us, her family, because we are deemed insensitive for failing to cater to her every whim, which supposedly forces her to explode.

What I find most frightening is her assertion that she loves this rage, claiming it is an intrinsic part of her identity that she cannot, or will not, fight against. I have never encountered such a sentiment before and struggle to comprehend it. I do not understand how she perceives any positivity in such fury. For years, we have explained how much her behavior devalues and hurts us, noting that her actions tear at the very fabric of our family. Her response is simply to tell us to cope and adapt, to which I respond that I am already adapting to her constant insults.

The first issue is that while she has agreed to see a psychiatrist, she insists she will not actively work on managing her anger because she does not wish to lose it.

The second issue concerns what approach to take before she sees a professional. At home, we tend to walk on eggshells to avoid triggering her, which has resulted in her becoming extremely spoiled; she receives almost everything she asks for, even if her requests aren't unreasonable. For instance, if she asks nicely, we might drive her to a workout session when she doesn't feel like walking. I believe a sound method would be to implement a trial period where we cease all concessions—all the services and gestures we provide out of love. This would allow her to finally experience the reality of being refused by others. However, I fear this would trigger a reaction more violent than anything we have seen, and I worry about her safety during such an episode. Is there any alternative approach? We cannot hold a conversation with her; within five minutes, the rage begins to surface, and she simply walks away once she realizes we intend to discuss her temper.

The third issue is determining whom to turn to. What kind of specialist should we seek? This transcends simple anger management, as she is also battling depression that stems from the volatility of her own emotions.

Thank you for listening to me; my only desire is to help my sister.

Regards
feralstag72 feralstag72 Member
25 messages
joined Jul 2012
#2 ·
If there’s a psychiatrist lurking in this thread, do me a favor and weigh in—because you aren't going to get any actual wisdom from us mere mortals.
granitefalcon26 granitefalcon26 Active Member
193 messages
joined Jan 2015
#3 ·
Does she have a boyfriend? What’s her workout routine? She’s 19 and still hasn't decided on a college. It feels like she's already missed the boat for this year.
The worst part is that you're all just enabling her. She’s using emotional blackmail on you. Honestly, if she truly wanted to end things, she wouldn't need these hysterical outbursts to do it. More often than not, she’s just looking for a reason to lash out at herself.
You really need to start giving her daily tasks to complete.
Charles Thomas43 Charles Thomas43 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Aug 2012
#4 ·
Cut off the allowance! Let her go out and earn her own way through some part-time student job instead.
Larry Wilson25 Larry Wilson25 Active Member
74 messages
joined Jan 2018
#5 ·
That’s just plain nonsense—don't go using slaps or any kind of physical force. Like you noticed yourself, it doesn't actually solve anything; all it does is make her shut down even more deep inside.
The mods really ought to hand out a red card for advice like that.
David Parker8 David Parker8 Newcomer
1 message
joined Aug 2012
#6 ·
We’re dealing with the exact same issue. My brother is just like that, and I honestly don't know what to do anymore, or how I should even handle him.
Kate Young3 Kate Young3 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Jul 2012
#7 ·
I honestly think she’s just weaponizing that rage to get her way. Seriously—dealing with someone who pulls those massive, totally unhinged temper tantrums is exhausting, it literally drains the life out of you. If she can pull this off every single day, then let’s be real: she knows exactly what she’s doing and she’s got it down to a science. My advice? Just let her rage. Don't walk on eggshells, don't baby her, and don't go running to fix things—just let her deal with the consequences herself. Stop reacting to it entirely. That's the only way she'll realize her little outbursts aren't getting her anything, and maybe—just maybe—she'll stop using them as a tool. By coddling her and hovering around her every time she flips out, you guys are basically just fueling the fire.
George Allen71 George Allen71 Active Member
94 messages
joined Apr 2015
#8 ·
Look, I’m no psychologist or psychiatrist, but I can certainly offer my two cents.
In my opinion, she’s manipulating everyone here by using these temper tantrums; it’s pretty obvious she’s figured out that acting out is the quickest way to get exactly what she wants. From where I’m standing, the right move would be for her to learn how to manage her own behavior. That starts with people setting firm boundaries—clearly communicating what is acceptable and what isn't.
To be honest, this whole situation feels less like adult drama and more like a toddler having a meltdown. You know the type—when you tell a kid they can't have a new toy and they just start flailing their arms and kicking the floor while screaming at the top of their lungs.
I have no idea what her upbringing was like, but based on everything being said here, she seems to be struggling with emotional regulation and a real lack of self-awareness regarding herself and those around her.
There is actually a great book about establishing healthy boundaries by Jasper Hull titled "This Is Me, Who Are You?" It focuses on teaching adults how to set limits with children in a constructive, kind way that helps build a child's personality rather than crushing it.
Regardless, I really think seeking professional help would be a wise step. Being emotionally immature isn't necessarily a crisis in itself, but when it starts hurting her and everyone else in her life, then you definitely have a problem that needs addressing. It might not even require a psychiatrist; perhaps some standard psychotherapy would be enough to unpack these patterns and work toward some much-needed stability.
Paul Anderson2 Paul Anderson2 Active Member
55 messages
joined Oct 2012
#9 ·
I guess it’s going to be a real struggle as long as she’s living with a family that just lets everything slide. You might want to try explaining to her that things won't work this way once she gets a job or starts living with a partner... people out in the real world aren't going to have nearly as much patience.

If these outbursts keep happening, they’re definitely going to trip her up later in life. It might be worth talking to a professional—maybe a psychiatrist—just to get some solid advice first.

Then again, there could be some underlying tension within the family itself. Once she's out on her own and has her own space, maybe these episodes will just sort themselves out.
driftinggull21 driftinggull21 Active Member
247 messages
joined Mar 2010
#10 ·
Any "advice" that includes recommendations for physical violence will be sanctioned.
Harold Robinson4 Harold Robinson4 Newcomer
1 message
joined Aug 2012
#11 ·
I’m holding you all responsible for this—and I mean this is way beyond just being rude.
Eric Gray2 Eric Gray2 Regular
254 messages
joined Jul 2014
#12 ·
Just a quick reminder that this forum isn't really the right place to be dropping your medical diagnoses—I'd kindly ask everyone to please hold off on sharing those kinds of details here.
crimsoncanyon2 crimsoncanyon2 Active Member
123 messages
joined Jan 2014
#13 ·
Alright, look—if we’re being honest, there are a few ways this could go south, and frankly, they all sound like a total disaster waiting to happen:

She’s just shaking it off because she knows you don't respect her—or maybe it's because you crossed her once before and now you're all just sitting there, staying silent, and letting it slide. It's pathetic, really. By refusing to say anything, you're basically handing her a signed confession that you were in the wrong all along.
Look, she’s got zero self-control—just completely reactive and overly sensitive. Plus, she lacks that basic ability to mentalize, you know? She can't accurately read or interpret how other people are reacting, failing to realize those reactions are actually driven by what's going on in their heads... but hey, I'm sure that's not the problem at all.
Anger is being weaponized here—it’s being used as a tool for manipulation just to get what she wants. And honestly, looking at how everyone keeps folding or playing nice just to quiet her down or shut up the noise, I’m almost certain that’s exactly what’s happening. It's pretty obvious.
She’s looking for something different—some other kind of fabric entirely—rather than sticking to what your family produces. Honestly? That’s also a possibility.

Look, people need to realize that humans aren't all that different from animals when it comes to survival—we all have these ingrained, habitual patterns we fall back on. It’s just how we operate. We develop these specific methods to get what we want, and once those tactics start yielding us some kind of significant advantage or benefit, we stick to them like glue. It becomes a loop.
If someone is actually turning a profit by throwing temper tantrums, they aren't going to stop—they’re going to lean into it. Look, if you reward those outbursts by giving them exactly what they want or helping them hit their target, all you’re doing is reinforcing the behavior. You're basically handing them a roadmap for how to keep acting out to get their way.

Daniel Castillo5 said:Hello everyone.

I am struggling.

My nineteen-year-old sister has exhibited incredible outbursts of rage for the past four or five years—the kind where you simply stand there in disbelief that your own sibling is behaving this way—every single time our family attempts to communicate with her. If things do not go exactly her way, whether it involves a significant life decision like choosing a college major or a trivial matter such as oversleeping an alarm or asking someone to run to the store for cigarettes, she descends into a state reminiscent of the girl from Exorcist. It involves hysteria, slamming doors, screaming, and profanity so severe that it leaves me, as the older sibling, feeling utterly shaken.

Naturally, the blame is placed upon us, her family, because we are deemed insensitive for failing to cater to her every whim, which supposedly forces her to explode.

What I find most frightening is her assertion that she loves this rage, claiming it is an intrinsic part of her identity that she cannot, or will not, fight against. I have never encountered such a sentiment before and struggle to comprehend it. I do not understand how she perceives any positivity in such fury. For years, we have explained how much her behavior devalues and hurts us, noting that her actions tear at the very fabric of our family. Her response is simply to tell us to cope and adapt, to which I respond that I am already adapting to her constant insults.

The first issue is that while she has agreed to see a psychiatrist, she insists she will not actively work on managing her anger because she does not wish to lose it.

The second issue concerns what approach to take before she sees a professional. At home, we tend to walk on eggshells to avoid triggering her, which has resulted in her becoming extremely spoiled; she receives almost everything she asks for, even if her requests aren't unreasonable. For instance, if she asks nicely, we might drive her to a workout session when she doesn't feel like walking. I believe a sound method would be to implement a trial period where we cease all concessions—all the services and gestures we provide out of love. This would allow her to finally experience the reality of being refused by others. However, I fear this would trigger a reaction more violent than anything we have seen, and I worry about her safety during such an episode. Is there any alternative approach? We cannot hold a conversation with her; within five minutes, the rage begins to surface, and she simply walks away once she realizes we intend to discuss her temper.

The third issue is determining whom to turn to. What kind of specialist should we seek? This transcends simple anger management, as she is also battling depression that stems from the volatility of her own emotions.

Thank you for listening to me; my only desire is to help my sister.

Regards

It’s pretty obvious—she’s doing it because it actually helps her hit her targets within the system. In this case, she’s playing the game within her own family where everyone just caters to her whims. And the kicker? She hasn't felt a single negative consequence for her behavior—or even because of it. Not one.
Are you all just letting her treat you like literal punching bags? It’s like you're all just sitting there acting as her designated venting outlets—just open targets for her to dump all that noise onto.
It’s not like they’re actually suffering any direct harm just because they're throwing a fit, right?

Daniel Castillo5 said:Hello everyone.

I am struggling.

My nineteen-year-old sister has exhibited incredible outbursts of rage for the past four or five years—the kind where you simply stand there in disbelief that your own sibling is behaving this way—every single time our family attempts to communicate with her. If things do not go exactly her way, whether it involves a significant life decision like choosing a college major or a trivial matter such as oversleeping an alarm or asking someone to run to the store for cigarettes, she descends into a state reminiscent of the girl from Exorcist. It involves hysteria, slamming doors, screaming, and profanity so severe that it leaves me, as the older sibling, feeling utterly shaken.

Naturally, the blame is placed upon us, her family, because we are deemed insensitive for failing to cater to her every whim, which supposedly forces her to explode.

What I find most frightening is her assertion that she loves this rage, claiming it is an intrinsic part of her identity that she cannot, or will not, fight against. I have never encountered such a sentiment before and struggle to comprehend it. I do not understand how she perceives any positivity in such fury. For years, we have explained how much her behavior devalues and hurts us, noting that her actions tear at the very fabric of our family. Her response is simply to tell us to cope and adapt, to which I respond that I am already adapting to her constant insults.

The first issue is that while she has agreed to see a psychiatrist, she insists she will not actively work on managing her anger because she does not wish to lose it.

The second issue concerns what approach to take before she sees a professional. At home, we tend to walk on eggshells to avoid triggering her, which has resulted in her becoming extremely spoiled; she receives almost everything she asks for, even if her requests aren't unreasonable. For instance, if she asks nicely, we might drive her to a workout session when she doesn't feel like walking. I believe a sound method would be to implement a trial period where we cease all concessions—all the services and gestures we provide out of love. This would allow her to finally experience the reality of being refused by others. However, I fear this would trigger a reaction more violent than anything we have seen, and I worry about her safety during such an episode. Is there any alternative approach? We cannot hold a conversation with her; within five minutes, the rage begins to surface, and she simply walks away once she realizes we intend to discuss her temper.

The third issue is determining whom to turn to. What kind of specialist should we seek? This transcends simple anger management, as she is also battling depression that stems from the volatility of her own emotions.

Thank you for listening to me; my only desire is to help my sister.

Regards

Even among people actually seeking psychotherapy, there’s this persistent, stubborn belief that you go to a psychiatrist to fix your mental health—not to intentionally dismantle your own functional life just so you can manipulate everyone around you.
Let’s be honest—even the patients are nothing more than opportunists who only ever look out for themselves.

Daniel Castillo5 said:Hello everyone.

I am struggling.

My nineteen-year-old sister has exhibited incredible outbursts of rage for the past four or five years—the kind where you simply stand there in disbelief that your own sibling is behaving this way—every single time our family attempts to communicate with her. If things do not go exactly her way, whether it involves a significant life decision like choosing a college major or a trivial matter such as oversleeping an alarm or asking someone to run to the store for cigarettes, she descends into a state reminiscent of the girl from Exorcist. It involves hysteria, slamming doors, screaming, and profanity so severe that it leaves me, as the older sibling, feeling utterly shaken.

Naturally, the blame is placed upon us, her family, because we are deemed insensitive for failing to cater to her every whim, which supposedly forces her to explode.

What I find most frightening is her assertion that she loves this rage, claiming it is an intrinsic part of her identity that she cannot, or will not, fight against. I have never encountered such a sentiment before and struggle to comprehend it. I do not understand how she perceives any positivity in such fury. For years, we have explained how much her behavior devalues and hurts us, noting that her actions tear at the very fabric of our family. Her response is simply to tell us to cope and adapt, to which I respond that I am already adapting to her constant insults.

The first issue is that while she has agreed to see a psychiatrist, she insists she will not actively work on managing her anger because she does not wish to lose it.

The second issue concerns what approach to take before she sees a professional. At home, we tend to walk on eggshells to avoid triggering her, which has resulted in her becoming extremely spoiled; she receives almost everything she asks for, even if her requests aren't unreasonable. For instance, if she asks nicely, we might drive her to a workout session when she doesn't feel like walking. I believe a sound method would be to implement a trial period where we cease all concessions—all the services and gestures we provide out of love. This would allow her to finally experience the reality of being refused by others. However, I fear this would trigger a reaction more violent than anything we have seen, and I worry about her safety during such an episode. Is there any alternative approach? We cannot hold a conversation with her; within five minutes, the rage begins to surface, and she simply walks away once she realizes we intend to discuss her temper.

The third issue is determining whom to turn to. What kind of specialist should we seek? This transcends simple anger management, as she is also battling depression that stems from the volatility of her own emotions.

Thank you for listening to me; my only desire is to help my sister.

Regards

Going no contact is a solid strategy—it really is—but you have to be incredibly careful not to let them drag you back into a debate about the method itself. That’s exactly what they want. You can't fall for those attempts at manipulation where they try to weaponize things from the past just to play the victim. They’ll try to amplify your guilt or straight-up harass you until you cave or at least take a "temporary break" from your boundaries. Don't fall for it. Every single time you bend or make an exception, it's a total failure—they win, and you lose.

crimsoncanyon2: "I don't know about you all, but I am absolutely losing my mind over this latest mess. It’s like nobody in charge actually gives a damn about how things work on the ground. We see these massive corporations—think ExxonMobil or big tech giants out of Silicon Valley—acting like they own the place while the rest of us just deal with the fallout. It’s frustrating, honestly. You try to follow the rules, you play by the book, and yet the goalposts just keep shifting. Is anyone else feeling this level of burnout, or am I just shouting into the void here?"
Daniel Castillo5 said:Hello everyone.

I am struggling.

My nineteen-year-old sister has exhibited incredible outbursts of rage for the past four or five years—the kind where you simply stand there in disbelief that your own sibling is behaving this way—every single time our family attempts to communicate with her. If things do not go exactly her way, whether it involves a significant life decision like choosing a college major or a trivial matter such as oversleeping an alarm or asking someone to run to the store for cigarettes, she descends into a state reminiscent of the girl from Exorcist. It involves hysteria, slamming doors, screaming, and profanity so severe that it leaves me, as the older sibling, feeling utterly shaken.

Naturally, the blame is placed upon us, her family, because we are deemed insensitive for failing to cater to her every whim, which supposedly forces her to explode.

What I find most frightening is her assertion that she loves this rage, claiming it is an intrinsic part of her identity that she cannot, or will not, fight against. I have never encountered such a sentiment before and struggle to comprehend it. I do not understand how she perceives any positivity in such fury. For years, we have explained how much her behavior devalues and hurts us, noting that her actions tear at the very fabric of our family. Her response is simply to tell us to cope and adapt, to which I respond that I am already adapting to her constant insults.

The first issue is that while she has agreed to see a psychiatrist, she insists she will not actively work on managing her anger because she does not wish to lose it.

The second issue concerns what approach to take before she sees a professional. At home, we tend to walk on eggshells to avoid triggering her, which has resulted in her becoming extremely spoiled; she receives almost everything she asks for, even if her requests aren't unreasonable. For instance, if she asks nicely, we might drive her to a workout session when she doesn't feel like walking. I believe a sound method would be to implement a trial period where we cease all concessions—all the services and gestures we provide out of love. This would allow her to finally experience the reality of being refused by others. However, I fear this would trigger a reaction more violent than anything we have seen, and I worry about her safety during such an episode. Is there any alternative approach? We cannot hold a conversation with her; within five minutes, the rage begins to surface, and she simply walks away once she realizes we intend to discuss her temper.

The third issue is determining whom to turn to. What kind of specialist should we seek? This transcends simple anger management, as she is also battling depression that stems from the volatility of her own emotions.

Thank you for listening to me; my only desire is to help my sister.

Regards

"Ha, if you don't want to live, just go kill yourself"—delivered with this cold, total indifference—mostly because I doubt they’d actually have the guts to follow through.
Depression is just anger turned inward—it’s a slow burn. Anger directed outward? That’s an entirely different beast altogether.

Daniel Castillo5 said:Hello everyone.

I am struggling.

My nineteen-year-old sister has exhibited incredible outbursts of rage for the past four or five years—the kind where you simply stand there in disbelief that your own sibling is behaving this way—every single time our family attempts to communicate with her. If things do not go exactly her way, whether it involves a significant life decision like choosing a college major or a trivial matter such as oversleeping an alarm or asking someone to run to the store for cigarettes, she descends into a state reminiscent of the girl from Exorcist. It involves hysteria, slamming doors, screaming, and profanity so severe that it leaves me, as the older sibling, feeling utterly shaken.

Naturally, the blame is placed upon us, her family, because we are deemed insensitive for failing to cater to her every whim, which supposedly forces her to explode.

What I find most frightening is her assertion that she loves this rage, claiming it is an intrinsic part of her identity that she cannot, or will not, fight against. I have never encountered such a sentiment before and struggle to comprehend it. I do not understand how she perceives any positivity in such fury. For years, we have explained how much her behavior devalues and hurts us, noting that her actions tear at the very fabric of our family. Her response is simply to tell us to cope and adapt, to which I respond that I am already adapting to her constant insults.

The first issue is that while she has agreed to see a psychiatrist, she insists she will not actively work on managing her anger because she does not wish to lose it.

The second issue concerns what approach to take before she sees a professional. At home, we tend to walk on eggshells to avoid triggering her, which has resulted in her becoming extremely spoiled; she receives almost everything she asks for, even if her requests aren't unreasonable. For instance, if she asks nicely, we might drive her to a workout session when she doesn't feel like walking. I believe a sound method would be to implement a trial period where we cease all concessions—all the services and gestures we provide out of love. This would allow her to finally experience the reality of being refused by others. However, I fear this would trigger a reaction more violent than anything we have seen, and I worry about her safety during such an episode. Is there any alternative approach? We cannot hold a conversation with her; within five minutes, the rage begins to surface, and she simply walks away once she realizes we intend to discuss her temper.

The third issue is determining whom to turn to. What kind of specialist should we seek? This transcends simple anger management, as she is also battling depression that stems from the volatility of her own emotions.

Thank you for listening to me; my only desire is to help my sister.

Regards

Look, your little girl is practically an adult at this point. Maybe there are things that would actually benefit her more than sitting on a psychiatrist's couch—things like building actual emotional connections with people her own age, discovering her sexuality, and all that stuff.
Honestly, a psychiatrist wouldn't be a bad choice either—especially if they happen to be from the rural Midwest. Those folks generally have a knack for discipline, mental maneuvering, and a healthy dose of Machiavellian psychology.

When you’re dealing with those manipulative types in therapy, you aren't going to find much help from the psychiatrists who spend all their time buried in deep analysis or trying to interpret every little feeling. Honestly? The ones who actually get through to them are the therapists who have a bit of a manipulative streak themselves—not in some dark, malicious way, obviously, but more in that educational, "tough love" sense where they guide the behavior by outmaneuvering the patient.

Kate Young3 said:I honestly think she’s just weaponizing that rage to get her way. Seriously—dealing with someone who pulls those massive, totally unhinged temper tantrums is exhausting, it literally drains the life out of you. If she can pull this off every single day, then let’s be real: she knows exactly what she’s doing and she’s got it down to a science. My advice? Just let her rage. Don't walk on eggshells, don't baby her, and don't go running to fix things—just let her deal with the consequences herself. Stop reacting to it entirely. That's the only way she'll realize her little outbursts aren't getting her anything, and maybe—just maybe—she'll stop using them as a tool. By coddling her and hovering around her every time she flips out, you guys are basically just fueling the fire.

It doesn’t always have to be a bad thing—sometimes letting off steam is exactly what someone needs to unwind and find a little peace. It really all comes down to where that anger is actually coming from in the first place.
When you see someone hitting a breaking point where rage just starts building up day after day—it’s rarely just about one isolated incident. It's usually a sign of deep-seated environmental frustrations and a total inability to tolerate the status quo anymore—or, if we're being honest, it's a destructive outburst triggered by some fundamental breakdown in identity.

Look, she’s only 19. Honestly, maybe it would be better if her boyfriend just drove her to practice or if she took a long walk to clear her head... if she doesn't really know herself yet, it's going to be incredibly hard for her to even realize what's eating at her—especially if we're talking about repressed sexuality to please the family. That was one of my first thoughts here. It feels a bit twisted that her brother, and probably the rest of her family, still look at her and see this "little girl."

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