My aunt is making my cousin take freaking pills because she thinks he eats too much. The pills she get him are ones that most doctors won't perscribe to morbidly obese people! And she'll always say stuff like: "You've already eaten!" or "Stop being such a pig!" or "Your brother was always the big acheiver." She puts him down in every way possible. It's just not right! But it's not like I have any power over it and it really makes me mad. Any advice?
That's just... really poor parenting, not to mention forceing drug abuse. I would try to talk to your cousin to get his self-esteem up so he doesn't feel like he's what his mother claims him to be. How old is your cousin if I may ask?
You're aunt's way of approaching your cousin is a problem. http://penelopesoasis.blogspot.com/2008/09/accept-and-appreciate-others-as-they.html
That's not right at all. Like Condemned Memoir said, say things to your cousin that will boost up his confidence. Maybe talk to your parents too and tell them what you think is going on with your cousin and aunt. They might help find a solution to this problem.
What the hell, that is sick. Try to cheer him up as much as possible, tell him he doesn't need the frickin pills and he doesn't have to take them. Also teel him to like himself for who he is and don't listen to her put downs.
What kind of pills are they? I have a book here on prescription drugs and could probably give you more information on what the drugs are. If a doctor prescribed them though, it does make me wonder. The problem I see with this is some eating disorders are caused by -stress- and her treatment of him is certainly not assisting him to getting a good eating pattern down. Positive encouragement would certainly work better and also changing up his diet some and taking him with her to the store to get foods that he can pick out would help. If he has problems, letting him be a part of the solution would be a far better approach. That way he gets foods he likes, he will be motivated to helping curb his appetite, and he won't be stressed so he won't eat as much. Eating can be not just for sustenance but a nervous tick someone has too, like how someone might bite nails or chew on hair, etc. In the end, if she truly wants to help him lose weight and he wants to lose weight too and feel better about himself, she needs better judgment in this as far as her whole actions are going. I'm sure if he's rolly polly he's not very happy about it either, but her cut downs etc are making it worse and making him wonder why he's bothering to try if he can never live up to his sibling that she mentions favorably. Usually doctors won't hand out pills for dieting so candidly to even adults so I am curious how she is getting them and what they are in the first place. If I were you at this point, I would talk to him and ask him how he does feel about his weight, and does he want to change things about himself. Tell him to not give up on himself and that her hurtful nagging is just the way the woman is right now and that he must not take it to heart if he can help it. Some people do just gripe a lot and nag and they really don't see how counterproductive they are being. I hope he will be alright and keep hanging in there because she seems too worried about physical appearance and such more than she does his health or mental well being.
Thanks guys. It's nice to know I have people I can tell these things to. I'll try to cheer him up as much as I possibly can.
That's just wrong. Forcing him to take those pills and being that cruel is just really poor parenting.
Wow. if the doctor really prescribed it, then maybe try and make him see another. This will clear up if he as a eating disorder ( like L/Repliku said) or ask another person (who knows him) whether he is meant to have the pills. Also, ask the person who forces him the pills to see why he/she is doing that (apart from saying he's fat). This may explain why he/she is doing such things.
