Panic Disorder

[Guest]

my sisterin law is 37 she has had anorexia bulima at a ng age still i belive has eating disorders. Her boy friend is 10m yrs nger she will not tell him her real age though he loves her dearly so she constantly tries to avoid anything or anyone who knows her age she hes her hs constantly is fearful of all diseases germs. to make a long story short she claims her friend poisoned her shampoo her haidr is falling out.her mor passed away 5 years ago ansd she moved bacxk home her dad she dotes over him will not let him go out she constantly worries about his health all she sees is herself her far none of family seems to exist just her her dad no one has anyu problems greater than hers if she gets a pimple she panics will not go out her fiance is starting to get tired of her she has us on phone hs about her hair looks fine when she vis on a holiday she does not sit ladies or help dinner she dotes over her dad telling him hes cute watching he eats fiance s re like a dope . we feel she really doesnt want to get marrried shes engaged 2 years hasnt set a date yet most girls cant wait to marry also we think dad l9ike attention even if it is baz behavior he knows about eating moviung things aroun d in her plate chronic h hing. My husb asked her to seek help has told his dad also canwe do? Also his 46 yr old bror has panic attacks social phobias is normal?

[Guest]

It sounds as if your sister in law has symtoms congruent with OCD as well a few other disorders. I cannot make a definitive diagnosis over the web. She would benefit from a professional evaluation. If you have already suggested this to her and she has not followed through, there is not much else I can think of that would make her get some help. You could enlist the aid of others such as her father of finacee if you felt comfortable with that as a suggestion. As I have noted, if someone is not harmful to self or others, it is hard to force them into treatment. You could use the web or this site to show them that there is help available and nothing to be ashamed of. Panic attacks and social phobias are common but not normal. Again there are effective treatments available if the person would want to be treated.