OT: I have to hide my food in my own house

Warning: This is really just a rant and a bit of whining.

SO, for those of you *****ad my post last week about my husband's half-brother staying with us, I am growing more and more annoyed with the situation.

Now, as I understand it, this kid does have some emotional troubles.  He is clearly depressed, possibly bipolar, and has been suffering from anxiety attacks.  I hate to be annoyed by this but I sort of am.  Why is he now my problem?  Because no one else in his family wants to be bothered it seems.  I've totally been taken advantage of by his parents and by his TWO aunts who live near us but are "too busy" to have him come stay.  I'm really trying to be patient and kind but I can't help but be annoyed.

The kid does my dishes every day, which is great.  However, he does a half-assed job and gets water EVERYWHERE around my sink.  He sops up all this water with a dish towel and then leaves the dish towel crumpled in a BALL on the counter.  So by time I get home, it is still soaking wet and starting to get SMELLY.  Like, really?  You see that I put the damn dish towel hanging back up so it dries nicely and you can't do that?  Honestly, I wish he wouldn't bother with the damn dishes, it isn't helpful in the least bit.

Going back to his anxiety, he doesn't leave my house alone, ever.  We live in a very safe, family-oriented area of Brooklyn that has lots to do and eat.  I didn't have a chance last week to do a big grocery shop, so obviously there was slim pickins in the house but there were things like eggs and cold cuts he could eat.  I bought a package of my cheese that I like, the Sargento Ultra Thin, last week for MY purposes.  The package usually last me two weeks or more (gotta love processed ****).  I don't mind if this kid took one or two slices, but he ate THE ENTIRE PACKAGE in I don't know how much time.  One day it was there, one day it wasn't.  Like really?  I get that you might be hungry but I've told him NUMEROUS times that you can walk up the block, turn left or right, and you can have anything your heart desires.  Pizza, bagels, sandwiches, chinese, etc.  ALL within walking distance.  But instead he's been eating SCRAPS of food in my house and it ****** me off that he thinks it's ok to eat an entire container of something and not leave anything for the people who LIVE IN THE HOUSE you're staying in.  What was he raised by wolves?  Possibly.  He also ate the last of my low fat, unsweetened ice cream which YES I probably shouldn't have anyway but WHY IS IT OK TO EAT THE LAST OF SOMETHING THAT ISN'T YOURS??? 

So now I've resorted to hiding MY foods that are for ME and not to be eaten by others.  I don't have to tell my husband not to eat my food because he knows better but this kid doesn't and I don't know how to tell him not to eat the last of certain things without being a royal *****  I've hinted to my husband that I'm annoyed by this so I'm hopeful my husband will take care of it but who knows.  Until then, I'm hiding food like the crazy fat person I used to be.  But instead of hiding junk food I'm hiding healthy food LOL

I know I'm crazy and I'm being pretty much a ***** but I am soooo pissed off and annoyed about this whole situation that I really can't help it.  And I am suffering because of my stress about it.  I want to drink a bottle of wine and stuff my face with the wrong kind of stuff.  I've been trying not to and I've been trying to hit up the gym more so I'm not home with this kid taking over my living room but UGH. 

Thank God I'm going to therapy is all I'll say.  Sorry to interject here and rant and whine but OH is like my living diary lol. 

One week down, two more to go!!!  (Serenity now....)

All of that would drive me batty.  I'm glad you have therapy tonight too.  I'd need that or a kickboxing class to not start punching my hubs (not that it's his fault, but it IS his family and he should be the designated asshole when this kid is making your living situation pretty unpleasant). 

On another note, is his family even interested in getting him some help?  You mention depression, anxiety attacks, possibly bipolar.  He doesn't want to leave and explore the most awesome city in the world (I'm biased, I know)?  He needs some real, professional help.  I feel really sorry for him.  He's 20, right?  He should be having lots of fun, in college or at least working, not hiding out unable to make any kind of plans. 

ugh yes therapy and kickboxing are getting me through this.  My husband is really trying his best but feels like he can't "babysit" the kid which I agree.  You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

The family has a slew of problems and it doesn't seem like anyone is willing to work with this kid and get him the help he needs. My husband spoke to him and said look you're 20 and you have to do some things for yourself sometimes.  So he urged him to go away to college, out of the house, but not too far away from home and did tell him that most, if not all, college campuses have free counseling services that no one needs to know about.  The kid only speaks to my husband mostly about these things and my husband is trying to be a good example and urging him to get help.  What he does when he gets back to California is up to him.  Until then, I will be bat-crazy. 

I'm glad he's trying to be a good example.  He's lucky to have your husband. 

You can do it!  "I think I can. I think I can." 

I am sending you prayers and good wishes your way. I have to hide my food too because now that I am trying to eat healthier so is everyone else in the house. Now mind you my kids are grown, 26 and 21, but they will eat the last one of something and put the box back in the freezer or pantry, ugh. Remember though you are a survivor and you can get through this.

Are you sharing this with him in some fashion? Can you have a "here's what I need from you...." kinda conversation? Venting is great but....