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what is this behavior called does it have a name?

(28 Posts)
gigi1958 Wed 13-May-26 21:36:57

So I had cancer back in 2022 my sister who is considered the "saint" of the family got really weird about it. She took this very stern cold and almost hurtful attitude about it. To the point that I simply no longer discussed it with her. Yet her friend who had a much lesser form of cancer she said "oh I call Lisa every day to check on her" I'm like what???? How stupid of me I find out that a lot of my current GI issues are due to Eagles Syndrome and I will probably have surgery, and I told her and once again she did it again. She did it to her son who's wife had preeclampsia and was admitted back to hospital after she went home and could have easily died or had a stroke. When I asked her was she on her way down she said in that cold voice...no she had to work and she was going down in 2 weeks as previously planned. And her son had no one to help him manage a new infant alone and his wife in hospital. This has to have a name is it narcissism? She sent me one of her cold sort of apologetic emails and I never responded and I'm not trying to be passive aggressive but I also don't' want to say something to her I will regret. Normally we get along and have a great relationship but when stuff gets tough she gets really weird!

Newatthis Thu 14-May-26 23:31:33

I can sometimes be like this with my sister. The reason for this is that when she phones all she talks about is her ailments and there are many!! If she asks how I am and I say 'apart from my back I'm great" then she wil respond with 'my back has been ...... without even asking what wrong with my back. She NEVER asks anything about me or my family but continues the conversation by her telling me every single ailment she has and has had in the past months. It's not that she doesn't have anyone to talk to other than me, she has a large family. It can wear a bit thin and I guess I am worn out about it. I am on the other hand very sympathetic to friends and their families.

Margiknot Fri 15-May-26 17:09:09

Perhaps ( as others have said) your sister, is able to see how best to support her friend, but is too paralysed by fear or emotion to know how to best support her family. It doesn’t sound like she is selfish - or unable to cope with illness or completely impractical.