“I have schizophrenia. But what truly terrifies me isn’t the illness itself – it’s the fact that my sister-in-law, Nadia, seems to be deliberately trying to drive me insane.

It all started when Nadia moved in with my wife and me. From that moment on, I began hearing whispers – soft, steady, almost indistinguishable – whenever she was nearby. When I asked her what she had just said, Nadia would only shake her head in surprise, looking concerned, and reply, “Nothing at all.” This went on for months until I had my first breakdown – I lay in bed, tears falling silently, trying to convince myself I wasn’t crazy, that it was just her.

But after the second breakdown, I couldn’t stay silent anymore. I told my wife, Clara. Instead of worrying about the possibility that her sister was doing something wrong, Clara became concerned about my condition. She kept insisting Nadia would never hurt anyone. But that reassurance only made me more suspicious.

I started watching Nadia closely – the times she muttered to herself when she thought no one was looking, or the moments she stood motionless in the doorway, her eyes vacant. I tried to listen, to catch any words from the whispers around me. But the more I tried to understand, the more confused I became. Clara grew frustrated seeing me increasingly obsessed, withdrawn, and suspicious of her sister.

Even though I was taking my medication regularly and seeing a therapist, the whispers didn’t go away. No medication adjustment could silence them. I was convinced Nadia was whispering just loud enough for me to hear, but never clearly enough for me to respond. Clara began to notice the growing tension in the house, but still sided with her sister.

Then one night, as I walked past the hallway, I heard a whisper – clear this time, almost like someone talking behind my back. I rushed to the kitchen, where Nadia stood calmly with a glass of water. I couldn’t take it anymore. I shouted, demanding she admit what she was doing. Nadia burst into tears and ran out of the house.

Later, Clara came home. She listened to my explanation but still believed it was just my condition worsening. I didn’t argue – I knew if I pushed, I’d lose my temper. Instead, I waited until the next day, calmer, and tried talking to Clara again. She listened, then suggested I consider checking into a hospital for intensive treatment. I felt abandoned.

Not wanting to be separated from Clara, I decided to prove that what I was hearing was real. I quietly observed Nadia – sometimes she still muttered, stopping mid-task as if listening to something invisible. I tried to get Clara to notice these behaviors without saying anything, hoping she’d sense it herself.

Clara began to notice. Nadia’s strange behavior was no longer ignored. Seeing an opportunity, I started recording and filming with my phone whenever Nadia acted oddly. I collected several clips of her muttering while cooking or moving her lips as if speaking to the air.

One day, I accidentally left my phone recording when I went to the bathroom. That was when I heard the door creak softly and whispers – clearly Nadia’s voice, standing just outside the door. I panicked. Finally, I had proof.

Once I had gathered enough evidence, I gave the phone to Clara. She watched the videos, her eyes widening, then gradually turning pale. Eventually, we confronted Nadia together.

The next evening, Clara invited Nadia to sit down and talk. I presented the recordings and videos. Nadia broke down, finally admitting that she had been whispering on purpose to destabilize me. When asked why, Nadia said she was afraid of me – afraid that my illness might make me dangerous. She thought that if I got worse, I’d have to leave the house or be hospitalized.

Clara was in disbelief. She told Nadia that even if she was scared, she had no right to harm me by toying with my condition. Nadia cried, apologized, and expressed regret. But the damage was already done.

We decided that Nadia had to move out. The next day, Clara told her our decision. At first, Nadia was silent, then she became angry, accusing us of abandoning her – just like her ex had done. But Clara stood firm. We needed a safe and healthy environment. Nadia had lost our trust – not just mine, but Clara’s too.