My [29f] younger sister [24f] will be homeless soon. I don't know how to help her or whether I even want to help her.

How do you know when to stop helping someone, especially when they're your sibling and struggling with mental illness?

My sister just keeps making bad choices, it seems. She squeezed out two kids she couldn't afford (on purpose) with a loser who can't keep a job. She relied on our parents for free shelter, took advantage of them, and used the money she saved to purchase toys and clothing for herself while her kids languished. She has been Baker Act-ed multiple times and diagnosed with OCD, bipolar, and paranoia (though this may be due to her chronic weed habit).

But you know what? Our parents let us down SUPER hard. As teenagers, my sisters and I were physically and emotionally abused. The only difference is, I went to college and landed a good job, and she didn't. It could have easily been me. I have something like survivor's guilt, I think.

After she was kicked out of all the places she could have stayed (for yelling, for being neglectful to her kids, for not applying to jobs) we put her up in a hotel. We told her this is her last chance to make progress--get a job, enroll in an assistance program, etc.--and she's about to be homeless. She chose to use her last money to get tattoos.

I'm scared she's going to die. Or get attacked, once she's homeless. My parents are trying to pull me into doing more, but nothing they ever did for her made a difference. It hurts so much.

TL;DR My sister is homeless, partly due to her own bad choices, partly due to mental illness and a terrible upbringing. I don't know how to help her. What would you do?

Submitted April 19, 2022 at 08:41PM by SmallCar_BigWheels https://ift.tt/6D3jxhO