Is my sister cracking up?

[WorriedAboutSis]

I have name changed for this but am a regular (I know all about the fables of Cod, the gregs sausage-rolls (and scotch eggs?) the pirate noises during sex and the Ms Ford thing).

Now to the point, my sister has had a rough life. She went off the rails at 13 (presumably due to way she was treat at home) and was kicked out and made homeless at 16. At 17 she got with this bloke who treat her badly, had a baby, she ended up living on a sink estate, he left her, she never had any money, debt collectors at the door etc etc. Then 5 years ago she got married. None of the family like her husband but we respect her choices and keep quiet. However he treats her awful.

She seems to just put up with it all like she's given up. But a few weeks ago her husbands tires got slashed on the driveway. He reported it to the police and everything, that night when he went to work she phoned my mum in absolute hysterics and said she'd done it. She'd slashed all four of the tyres and was going to wait until he'd had them all repaired and then do it again. She was litrally in hysterics. My mum didn't believe her and assumed she'd been drinking. Sure enough, hubby gets the tyres fixed, couple of days later the four of them were all slashed again. He has no idea it was her and reported it to the police again.

At this point I phoned her and told her she had to stop it because if nothing else, she could end up being arrested/charged with vandalism/wasting police time etc etc. She laughed throughout the phonecall like it was all one big joke. I asked her what was wrong with her and she laughed and said "I thought it was about time I had some fun".

I hoped it would blow over. Never told hubby she'd done it. A week or so later he phoned my mum kicking off saying her daughter was a basket case and he was packing her bags and sending her home to my mums. She asked why. Sis had bought a box of crickets from a reptile shop and emptied them in his briefcase, he took it to work, opened it and ended up with them all over the office. Everyone went nuts, most of the women refused to go back in the office and he was disciplined quite seriously by his boss. He could have lost his job.

I went around to see sis and she just seemed really odd, like she just wasn't herself anymore. I asked her if she thought the cricket thing was funny and she said she thought she would have, but didn't find it funny. I told her she should leave him if she dislikes him that much and she said she intends to, when she's got the money she's entitled to. She wouldn't elaborate but I think she's secretely stacking up her own bank account with his money.

This is all so out of character for her. My mum thinks she could be having a break down but how do we get help for her. I'm half expecting him to phone saying he's found rat poison in the coffee or something.

[TheArmadillo]

It seems like very odd behaviour.

Where is her child atm? Is she staying with your mum as well. Hows her everyday behaviour there?

If it is so completely out of character for her could you mention your worries to her gp? Or incourage her to go.

IS her dp abusing her?

[unavailable]

Her behaviour sounds manic - does she drink to excess/ use drugs? I would be worried about her mental health and encourage her to seek help.