Trouble communicating

Hi. I have my own disorder and my sister is diagnosed with bipolar. I've resolved that I have to take medication carefully to function. She made me her in case of emergency person at work. The first couple of times I was called, I rushed to help her. Both times she'd stopped taking her meds and got into trouble.

I'm trying to deal with my resentment over the fact that she won't take care of herself, but I have to stop my life to go bail her out. She doesn't seem to understand what she's doing to people who love her.

She just got out of the hospital and she had a glass of wine. On the one hand, it isn't any of my business. On the other, she messes up and makes it my business.

I've tried to stop enabling her, but her coworkers keep calling me and making me feel guilty. I've tried to talk to her, but she gets defensive and avoids me.

Has anyone been through this successfully?

I am sorry you are going through this. I have not been in this situation myself. To me it seems like you need to talk to your sister and set up some boundaries and stick to them like super glue. I understand you love your sister and feel guilty because of her coworkers, but she is not ever going to learn to take care of herself if you keep bailing her out. Maybe tell her that you will help her out only if she is med/treatment compliant. If she is in trouble due to not compling to treatment I would not help her. She will hopefully learn from her mistakes. Hope this helps.

Hi, I am sorry you are going through this also.
I am a first time user and in search of some help/info etc.
I am starting to wonder if my sister is bipolar. She is 24 and I and everyone else never know how to act around her in fear of an arguement, flip out etc.
I always feel like I am walking on eggshells with her.
Her mood goes from happy and friendly to I am gods gift and everyone else is worthless and stupid.
She is controlling, and verbally abusive with her immediate family, then the next day, completely fine.
She says she doesn't even know why she lives, and I am not sure whethere this is an attention thing, as bad at it may seem, or if it is legitamite.
I am in need of simple symptoms, and if it seems she is, how does someone bring this up to her?

doesn't sound like bipolar. bipolar means alternating between periods of feeling on top of the world (mania) and feeling at the bottom of the heap (depression). you made no mention of depression beyond her not knowing why she lives, but hey - that sounds more like a rhetorical question to me - doesn't seem indicative of suicidal ideation.

Sounds to me like borderline personality disorder. Check out the articles in the library here to learn about symptoms.

Standard disclaimer -- most of us here are not mental health professionals and you should encourage your sister to see one.

CB

I'm sorry this is so late. I lost the thread. I really appreciate your thoughts. It's a month later and sister isn't doing well. She says she's taking her meds, but she's not in a good place.

She sees her psychiatrist every other week, so I don't know why she's not getting better. Her doctor won't talk to me, which is understandable, but I may leave him a message on Monday.

I really don't want to violate boundaries.

That sounds like my sister, too. I don't know how to talk to her, because I seem to set her off.