[Lilywhite]

I have a sister I love very much, but when I came to spend two weeks with her just before Christmas, I noticed some alarming symptoms.

She told me she had been sick with the swine flu and other complications, and felt weak, so she spent most of the time in bed. Her house is one big mess. Dirty dishes in the sink, rotting food in the fridge. Pile of laundry everywhere and pile of dirty clothes all over the living room. She can´t wait to go to bed and sleep for 9 to 10 hours, sometimes 12 hours. If she doesn´t get her dose of sleep, she becomes very agitated. She works from home, and I was shocked to see that she is getting very overweight.

Her daughter phoned me after my stay and told me that my sister takes some medication for depression plus sleeping tablets and lies on the couch half doped, eating snack food and smoking cigarettes until very late. She has gained 40 pounds in one year, and is becoming very fat. This has gone on for two years. I never knew it was that bad.

The thing is, she doesn´t seem unhappy. She has a positive outlook on life and keeps encouraging me to do all kinds of active things, my daughters and her own daughter. The thing is, she has lost all interest in her old hobbies and barely sees people. She is divorced, but has been for many years and I always thought she was OK on her own. Her job is interesting, but after she´s done for the day, she starts eating and watching TV and smoking until 5 AM, according to her daughter.

I´m very worried about her. I love her very much. Any thoughts on her condition and what it might be would be most appreciated.

Hope you´re all having happy holidays. :)

Love, Lilywhite.

[ohsohappy]

If she has been prescribed depression medication, then some of these symptoms are probably the cause of depression such as sitting and eating and smoking etc, but the positive interaction, you never know, it could be a show. She might NOT want everyone to know how bad it is, OR maybe she actually is comfortable with her lifestyle, and just wants everyone to be happy doing what they like as well.

Have you tried having a talk with HER about it?

[jaime90]

It sounds like your sister has a very unhealthy lifestyle, if anything else.

[jmjoseph]

Drug addiction causes increased appetite. Do you think that she is an addict?

She may very well be going through some extreme depression, thus all the sleeping.

You need to intervene, and have a heart to heart with her. She needs a wake up call from someone who loves her. Don't just let it go. She will get worse before she gets better.

Good luck to you.

[Lilywhite]

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I will have a talk with her after the holidays. I know it´s a sensitive issue for her, so I´ll go slowly.

I might offer her a membership card to a gym in her area.

All the best,
Lily