Hi Ellie, and welcome to the forum. I can really relate to how you are feeling as I have much the same experience. I have a half brother with some serious issues. He's had them as long as I can remember, and I've grown up watching my parents struggle to care for him and compensate his life for the things he cannot seem to do for himself. I have the same lack of empathy, and a hint of resentment over it. Maybe deep down the feeling that his situation somehow detracted from our childhood and left my sister and I with a constant need for attention, is behind this. I defend myself with the same feeling you're experiencing... Apathy. I just don't allow myself to be bothered with it anymore. I keep a protective cushion of space between him and myself to keep myself safe. I don't see it as cold though, it's just the reality of what I need to do. I can't help him... I have nothing to offer. I can't fix whatever is wrong, and if I don't keep my defenses up his problems will become my problems.