Helping someone with depression is admirable, but it can be extremely taxing.
This 18 year old stock That her sister isn’t dealing with her depression in a healthy way, and that she’s expected to do so much for her even though she’s already full.
Now she wonders if it’s her fault for feeling overwhelmed.
Let’s analyze the situation.
So, I (18 year old female) have a younger sister (21 years old). Four years ago, she started having problems with her thyroid.
I don’t know the details, but I do know that she frequently fainted at school due to her medical condition. She developed severe depression, and even though her condition improved after surgery, the depression remained.
Even when she hired a therapist.
She elaborates further.
She graduated in 2023 and has been home ever since.
She is not working or seeking further education. She just sits in bed all day.
She also refuses to do any housework except feeding our pets.
She describes how full her plate is.
I also graduated in July 2024. I’m still at home, working part-time and studying for my driver’s license.
I plan to go to university at the end of spring. However, even though I am working, I am spending more time at home than before.
Therefore, I took on most of the housework.
My father works full time and doesn’t get home before 7pm. My mother used to work full time, but now she has reduced her hours to help my sister.
Unfortunately, her sister is behaving in a way that makes it even more difficult to help her.
I have to take care of her too.
I have to wake her up (sometimes it takes 2-3 hours) and make sure she eats properly. You must motivate her to do at least some household chores and check on her frequently.
He also tries to get my attention for hours by stealing my things and running away, jumping on my bed and trying to leave, smearing soap and toothpaste on my door, and waking up my hamster.
It sounds like a nightmare, but she’s been doing her best.
I know how she really feels, so I usually respond calmly. But as time went on I started getting angry. It’s incredibly childish and I don’t know how to stop her.
She also doesn’t leave the house alone.
When she wants to go shopping, I have to go with her. And she always asks me to do things with her.
Most of the time I give up.
She also noticed a pattern in her behavior…
Her depression is very predictable.
Everything goes well for a few weeks, but after a while (mainly before a doctor’s appointment or meeting with a therapist), she begins to feel unwell.
She was sent to two clinics for that, but when the same thing happened again a week ago, she was sent to a third clinic. She boarded on Monday, but by Tuesday she was in tears and already demanding to go home.
Within a week, they could no longer legally keep her.
No matter how hard they try, nothing seems to change.
This has happened before.
She showed everyone how bad she was and then everyone moved the earth and sun asking her for proper help, but there she refused any help and asked to leave as soon as possible. only requested.
My mom and I have to pick her up from her last doctor’s appointment today. She called me earlier to tell me the news.
The situation reached a boiling point.
I told her that I did not support her decision and that her actions were unfair to those who cared about her and were trying to help her.
She told me this time would be different, but since she had done it many times already, I promised her I wouldn’t go to a better clinic next time.
We got into an argument and within minutes I got really angry and told her I didn’t want to babysit her anymore. Now she’s calling me an idiot.
Ita?
Taking care of an adult like this shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of an 18-year-old.
Let’s see what Reddit has to say about this situation.
Readers provide suggestions.
Someone shared some wise words.
This commenter suggests what to say.
Another reader chimed in.
Another commenter also shares his opinion.
This person gets the point across.
Helping someone with depression is not easy.
If you thought this was an interesting story, check out this story about a man who created a point system for inheritance, and a family friend ended up receiving almost all of it.
