memetree New Contributor
How to help my sister
Hi everyone, looking for some perspective and advice.
My older sister, "T", essentially raised my younger sister and me. She carried an enormous amount of family responsibility and helped our mother recover from a severe bipolar episode that required involuntary hospitalisation. T has always been our protector, but recently her behaviour has completely changed, and our family is deeply concerned.
Last year, T converted from Islam to Christianity. Initially, she became intensely fixated on a "God-intended celebrity spouse," saw spiritual numbers everywhere, and prayed with intense screaming/crying. That phase settled, but she has since isolated herself from church, claiming she has the "gift of discernment."
Now, she bases every decision on what she says the Holy Spirit tells her (which she describes as a physical buzzing sensation). Some concerning behaviors include:
* Driving interstate through the night with our younger sister but refusing to use GPS to "follow the Spirit," resulting in them getting lost and turning back.
* Going on random overnight drives alone, following where she feels led.
* Quitting her job to focus on "ministry." She was our main earner.
* Refusing to apply for JobSeeker now that her previous Centrelink payments have stopped, texting me that God told her to focus on "not having money" and that it will be sorted out.
Because of this, I am now entirely responsible for our three-bedroom rental. I am financially stretched, going into debt, and completely mentally exhausted. To outsiders, T appears completely normal, highly articulate, and she becomes intensely defensive if questioned, making it almost impossible to approach her.
Our family recently held a meeting without her because we are at a loss. We are religious, but this feels extreme and harmful. Given our family history with bipolar disorder, I’m terrified. Is this a mental health crisis, extreme religious burnout, or both? How can we approach someone who masks so well and refuses to acknowledge a problem?