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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

How can I help my sister?

14 replies

tanfastic · 02/02/2012 12:57

A bit of background so as not to drip feed.
My sister is 48, divorced with two kids 19 and 21 who still live at home (but are hardly ever there). She lives in the south of England and I live up north so we don't see each other than often - a few times a year but we phone, chat on Facebook that kind of thing. I have two other sisters, one that lives close to her and another the other side of the country and my mum lives up north with me.

My sister has been involved with a man for the last seven years. They have never lived together. Okay, he is a nice enough bloke and i've gotten on well with him the handful of times we've met, but since day one i've never thought he was right for my sister and she has fully admitted she also had doubts about him. When they met he had just divorced and his head was "up his arse". She has however fallen madly in love with him and is completely besotted. The "relationship" has always been on his terms. She constantly waits by the phone to see what he's doing before making plans herself. More often than not he sees his mates all weekend and will happily tell her he would rather go for a drink down the pub with his mates than spend an evening with her. They never go out for meals, cinema, holidays or any of the conventional stuff you do when you are in a relationship. In fact i'm not sure what to do do really! Confused

She has been unhappy with the arrangement from the offing. Always complaining to me about how he never suggests doing anything, how it's always her putting everything into the relationship and she never gets anything out of it. They have lots of mutual friends so always seem to end up at the same parties and so end up going home together.

She often tells me things like if she sees him in the pub he won't speak to her. Or sometimes she'll ring him up and ask him what he's doing at the weekend and he'll say he "doesn't know yet" but "thinks he might go out with friends for a drink".

He has also told her mutual friends that he isn't in love with her but he does have feelings for her as a friend and doesn't want to her find anybody else.

For the last six months she has been trying to end the relationship. She has talked to him about how she feels. That's she's not getting anything out of it, that she wants the relationship to move forward but doesn't feel like he does etc. etc. He has told he that he loves her and that he doesn't want anyone else to have her but in the same breath has said that he "doesn't know what he wants", and...."he wants to meet new people".

Then he usually fucks off for a few days and doesn't ring her and she's left feeling like shit.

She came to visit me six months ago and I tried to talk to her but we were going round in circles. I told her what I thought about the situation and that she deserved more etc and that she needs to stop contacting him and keep herself busy. She spent the whole time on the verge of tears.

Forward wind six months and she's still in the same position.

She invited him for Christmas dinner but he never told her he was coming until the day before (arsehole). I assume this was because he never got any better offers.

She has been ringing my mum constantly in tears for the last few months and i'm really worried about her. Her kids are worried about her and keep buying her things to try and cheer her up (bless them).

I've got to a point though where I don't know what to say to her anymore. She keeps ringing saying she wants someone to talk to but it's the same old, same old. She is coming up to see me in a couple of weeks for a few days and I just wanted to know whether you ladies have any pearls of wisdom?

I'd love nothing more than my sister to be happy. She is a lovely person, usually very strong and I want to see her settle down with a nice bloke. I feel she is wasting her life (seven years already) with this bloke and needs to move on. Do I just but out and lend her my ear every now and then? I'm worried she will have some kind of breakdown or do something stupid.

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 02/02/2012 13:09

What can you do? If she can't/won't see this man for what he is then you are not going to be able to make her.

If I were you and you have time/circumstances that allow I would do stuff with her when she comes to visit and introduce her to your circle of people...try to talk about stuff that is happening in the moment and not to get drawn in all the time...maybe when she sees nice people out there she will realise he is using her and that she is worth much more. But you can't make her see it, or believe it...she has to do that herself.

maybe the sis that lives near to her could do the same once a week and involve her in a different social circle.

You could also club together and buy her membership of a club/cooking group/other that she would enjoy for her next birthday.

She's lucky that you are still listening...keep it up OP but don't let yourself get worn out!!

kodachrome · 02/02/2012 13:10

She's his shag when there's nothing better in the offing, that's all. He wants her to stick around and be available for use, but that's all he wants from her. They don't have a relationship - it's all in her head.

When she wants more he tells her he loves her and then vacillates & disappears to get her to STFU.

She needs to wake up.

kodachrome · 02/02/2012 13:13

Sorry, that just said what you already know.

To help her, I dunno, suggest she posts on Mumsnet and let us tell her straight?

lisaro · 02/02/2012 13:18

This isn't a relationship, she's a bunk-up. Sorry to be so blunt, but it's obvious. There's not much you can do without potentially alienating your sister. She's an adult, and she seems to know it's not right. Just be there for when she's dumped.

tanfastic · 02/02/2012 13:26

Thanks, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I want to shake her and tell her to stop being such a doormat. I try and speak to her and she bursts into tears. She says she can't deal with the pain of losing him. I've tried till I'm blue in the face to explain that it will get easier and she will get over him but she says 'I know' and then goes off to text him.

To be honest from what she's told me he isn't really that into shagging either. Not really sure what she's getting out of it. If he had a big cock I could maybe understand Blush

My sister who lives near her has been going round once a week to see her. I'm stuck up here with a very full life ( husband, kid, business to run) so find it very hard to be much use other than the odd phone call.

Her friends ( who are also friends of his) have told her she's flogging a dead horse too.

I dunno Confused

OP posts:
StuckInTheFensAwayFromHome · 02/02/2012 13:31

Maybe you need to be a bit different on this trip.
Firstly say or paraphrase what you have said here - you love her but it upsets you that its the same old conversation every time she phones or visits and you are going to change this aspect of your relationship between yourselves.

There are two routes to this, she remains unhappy, doesn't change her actions or behaviours, but perversely is probably getting something out of this negative attention every time she says 'woe is me, my relationship is rubbish', but if she chooses this route you are going to shut it down, because you won't get drawn into this topic of conversation anymore. (And you have to follow through on this a bit like with a child or a pet!)

However what you would love to do is help her build up a new life, through new experiences, meeting new people, making new friends, maybe even a new job/location.

It all hinges on whether she truly wants to change - and you have to guide this conversation. Sometimes we can only change when we hit rockbottom - fundamentally somewhere your sister is massively insecure and she needs to recognise it. And overcoming insecurity will only happen when she can give herself that security - not this stupid guy, not you, not her kids, or the rest of your family. But she's lucky, she's got all of you there to support her while she does that difficult building up herself.

CiderwithBuda · 02/02/2012 13:42

Would she consider seeing a counsellor?

tanfastic · 02/02/2012 14:08

I think she would see a counsellor actually. Although I have no idea how to go about this. She often says she needs to talk to somebody.

To be honest it has recently got to the point where I don't mention it. She rang me last week regarding something to do with my mum and I completely stayed on the topic, didn't even ask how she was. Felt terrible but I just couldn't face another hour of me saying to her she needs to stop contacting him and her saying "I know".

She says she has never felt grief like it. Even after her divorce. She says she can't deal with it and I do think it's worse because she has no single friends to go out with. Her best friend is married to this bloke's friend.

A few years' ago I managed to persuade her to maybe think about moving nearer to me and mum and she was all for the idea but couldn't bear to leave her kids which I can understand. She has a very good job with the NHS and i'm sure she'd find somewhere else.

It also doesn't help she lives in the same small village where we grew up but we've all left years ago and she's still stuck there with no friends in the village. She can't afford to move anywhere else in city.

I just feel sad that she's wasting her life when she could be having such a brilliant time. Her kids will be leaving home soon, both are in long term steady relationships so it won't be long. I think it will really hit her when she's left on her own.

In a couple of weeks we are having a big family get together, all sisters together and so I will get my heads together with the other two and see what we can come up with without alienating her.
Thanks for your helpful replies.

OP posts:
lisaro · 02/02/2012 14:14

I've re read your op. and I also do think you need to be firm with her about burdening your mother constantly with this. Actually tell her it's selfish must stop. That may shock her, as she probably thinks she's being selfless. Ok, I'm wording all this badly, but try to tread the fine line of putting her straight about your mother and not alienating her.

izzyizin · 02/02/2012 14:26

She can't deal with the pain of losing him? Poor deluded lady - he's never been hers to lose.

All she is to him is a convenient shag bolthole when he's got no funds to go boozing with his mates nothing better to do.

As you've already surmised, the emptiness of this unsatisfactory long term liaison (it doesn't merit being called a 'relationship' in the intimate/romantic sense) is going to really hit home to her when her dcs leave the nest and maybe she'll see reason then and pigs might fly.

Your family sounds brilliant and many of us would love a sister like you. All I can suggest is that you continue to 'be there' for her and suggest she posts on this board when she next comes to stay with you.

CiderwithBuda · 02/02/2012 15:30

maybe when her chukdren leave home she would move closer to you?

empty nest syndrome while feeling the way she does would be a nightmare whereas if she is moving and starting a new life where she already has family she will have something to look forward to?

With regard to a consellor I think Relate will see people on their own.

TooEasilyTempted · 02/02/2012 17:01

Direct her to Mumsnet Grin

howlongwilltheynap · 02/02/2012 18:06

My mum has recently ended (yipee!!) a relationship that sounds a bit like this. She had been 'with' him for 2 years. It was complicated by starting soon after my dad's death.

I'm trying to think what finally prompted her to ditch him for good. I think it was a combination of:

  • him being particularly bad at initiating contact for a period of time, and not visiting or showing any sympathy when she was ill
  • she read a book I think it was 'Women Who Love too Much' and recognised some of the traits, and recognised that she was probably thriving on the drama of it a bit too much (definately the case)
  • I think there was also a Paul McKenna CD she used, not sure which one, which helped her really understand her feelings and motivations.

I think this one-sided and unfulfilling relationship also protected her from moving on to the next stage of her life and maybe she is now ready. In my mum's case she is widowed not divorced, but your sister uses the term 'grief' so maybe there is an underlying similarity.

I do hope your sister can move on from this, good luck

Archemedes · 02/02/2012 18:33

Poor Girl, sadly until she wants to see it she won't.

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