Growing up, most siblings have complicated relationships. They might not be able to share the backseat of Dad’s car without ripping each other’s hair out, but if anyone else insults their sister on the playground, there’s going to be trouble. Siblings have a special kind of love for one another that usually gets stronger as they age.
But when one man let his younger brother move in with him and his wife, he was horrified to learn just how different the two really are. Below, you’ll find a story that one concerned man shared on Reddit seeking advice after discovering that his sibling had been exhibiting extremely creepy behavior around his wife.
This man let his younger brother move in with him while his college was on lockdown
Image credits: Getty Images(not the actual photo)
But when he discovered his brother's disturbing behavior, he immediately decided that he would have to move out
Image credits: Natalya Shmeleva (not the actual photo)
Image credits: beyza yurtkuran (not the actual photo)
Image source: ThrowRA-PO
Readers were horrified by the story, and many shared advice for the author
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
After talking to his wife and confronting his brother, the author shared an update on the situation
Image credits: Adolfo Félix (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Hrant Khachatryan (not the actual photo)
Image source: ThrowRA-PO
The majority of Americans say they have close relationships with their siblings
Image credits: Jordan González (not the actual photo)
Siblings: can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em. According to a YouGov survey, a whopping 88% of Americans had at least one sibling while growing up. And for the most part, people tend to be happy with the number of siblings that they had (or didn’t have).
The Institute for Family Studies also reports that about eight in 10 Americans with siblings say they have a very close or somewhat close relationship with them. Only 22% say that they’re not too close or not close at all with their brothers and sisters.
Over two-thirds also say that they’re very or completely satisfied with the relationships they have with their siblings. But many factors can play into how close siblings are or are not. For example, those who are satisfied with their relationships with their parents are very likely to be happy with their relationships with their brothers and sisters.
Meanwhile, if siblings aren’t close, it might come down to how their parents treated them growing up. Parental favoritism and sibling rivalries can take a toll on sibling relationships. At the same time, birth order can impact how children feel about their family members. Oldest and youngest siblings tend to feel lonely during childhood more often than middle children, which can affect how they view themselves.
Having a significant age gap, like the brothers in this story, can also impact how close siblings are. Because they have fewer shared experiences while growing up, they might not have the opportunity to create the same bonds that those who are only two or three years apart might.
But regardless of how close the men in this story are, there’s no excuse for the younger brother’s behavior. He might be struggling with compulsive behavior, which the Mayo Clinic notes can sometimes be an escape from other issues such as loneliness, depression, anxiety, or stress.
Taking intimate photos of someone without their consent may be considered a criminal act
Image credits: Linh Quach (not the actual photo)
This kind of concerning behavior might also be caused by changes in the brain’s pathways, an imbalance of natural brain chemicals, or certain conditions that affect the brain. But regardless of where it stems from, the Mayo Clinic recommends early intervention to prevent the behaviors from spinning out of control.
When unaddressed, these compulsive behaviors can harm or destroy important relationships, cause a person to develop mental health conditions, make them lose focus at work, cause immense guilt, and sometimes even lead to getting arrested.
In fact, Women's Law notes that taking intimate photos or videos of a person without their consent may be considered criminal behavior, depending on where the author lives.
“In some states, the laws about sharing intimate images may also specifically address taking images without consent, making that a more serious crime, for example,” they explain. “Or there might be another crime that covers this behavior, such as violation of privacy, invasion of privacy, voyeurism, or unlawful surveillance.”
It’s clear that the author made the right choice by refusing to let his brother stay in his home any longer, but that doesn’t mean that the damage he has caused will be gone overnight.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. What would you have done if you were in the author’s shoes? Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing similar family drama, look no further than right here.
Again, readers applauded the author for standing up for his wife, and he joined in on the conversation
