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Children, Parents, or Relatives with BPD => Parent, Sibling, or In-law Suffering from BPD => Topic started by: Bigsis1956 on December 11, 2024, 06:49:39 AM



Title: Have been trying to understand for years and I feel crazy
Post by: Bigsis1956 on December 11, 2024, 06:49:39 AM
my sister was diagnosed with rapid cycling, bipolar about 30 years ago, and I had been her primary support. However, 4 years ago after I had given her weeks of my time to help her through two surgeries, she told me she felt abandoned. I’ve then realized that no matter how much I gave it would never be enough. I have been setting boundaries that are important for my life and mental health. One of them is we will only talk once a week. She was texting me multiple times a day and when I didn’t respond, she would reach out to ask if I had received her messages.
 By the way, I am still working And live four hours away. I think all my choices have reached her. That I moved from one hour away to four hours away and that I don’t wrap my life around her. However, she won’t say any of these things to me, and I am left feeling like I am living in Oz.
ever since then I have been trying to figure out what is going on. This week a mental health professional asked if I had read how to stop walking on eggshells. I am listening to it from Audible. A lot of things make sense. However, all the guidance on how to interact with your loved one is not where I am because she doesn’t rage at me. I think it’s completely underneath her interactions but she has shut down. I have tried to reach out her to improve our connection however she shuts me down.
I have done a lot of mental health work, and I have been spending the last few years seeking a sense of peace for myself in this relationship and it bothers me more than anything else in my life. I am so looking forward to connecting with this community.


Title: Re: Have been trying to understand for years and I feel crazy
Post by: Methuen on December 15, 2024, 10:39:47 PM
...and I had been her primary support. However, 4 years ago after I had given her weeks of my time to help her through two surgeries, she told me she felt abandoned. I’ve then realized that no matter how much I gave it would never be enough. I have been setting boundaries that are important for my life and mental health. One of them is we will only talk once a week. She was texting me multiple times a day and when I didn’t respond, she would reach out to ask if I had received her messages.
 By the way, I am still working And live four hours away. I think all my choices have reached her. That I moved from one hour away to four hours away and that I don’t wrap my life around her. However, she won’t say any of these things to me, and I am left feeling like I am living in Oz.
ever since then I have been trying to figure out what is going on....
I have done a lot of mental health work, and I have been spending the last few years seeking a sense of peace for myself in this relationship and it bothers me more than anything else in my life. I am so looking forward to connecting with this community.
Sigh.  I have read so many books.  Done so much thinking and analyzing, and reflection, and learning, so that I could help myself since my uBPD mom can't/wouldn't help herself.

A few things have helped me more than anything else.  One is this site - which is a tremendous support, and takes away the isolation since we have a community of people who "get it", and who support each other.

I too started with Eggshells. It's a great place to start. Then progressed onto so many others.  One I recommend is Co-dependent No More by Melody Beatty. 

You might think "I'm not Co-Dependent!"  I did lol.  But we're probably all co-dependent or we wouldn't be here.  Anyone struggling in a relationship with a pwbpd who is sucking the joy out of your life is going to find this book helpful, if you're a reader.  It helped me shift my thinking.  And it gave me strategies. It deepened my understanding. And it let me see that I needed to stop rescuing. Many examples are for intimate relationships, but the underlying issues are the same.  Despite this, I found it one of the most impactful books I read (out of...20 ish?) for my situation.

If this issue with your sister is bothering you possibly more than anything else in your life, there is going to be co-dependency.  Getting to the bottom of that is helpful.


Title: Re: Have been trying to understand for years and I feel crazy
Post by: Methuen on December 15, 2024, 10:41:17 PM
And I meant to also say Welcome to the Team!  We're glad you found us.