JulieS101,
Thank you very much for posting here, welcome to the forums. We appreciate your openness and honesty here.
I completely understand your feelings. I'm also an older sister. My younger sister is now only just out of school but for the past few years, had been really struggling with social anxiety and depression. When we see our loved ones struggling, it can be hard to watch this and feel like we can't do anything much about it. It can be stressful. It can be frustrating. Because all we want to do is help.
If you haven't already, try to open a very casual conversation with her. Ask her what she needs, what she's feeling, if there's anything you can do to help. If you're doing something around the house, like reading or watching TV, invite her to join you. Just having your company can be therapeutic, even if you're not necessarily interacting, as it's a passive means of support.
If you're going outside on a walk or to run errands, this may also be something you can use to extend an invite to her to come along. She may not necessarily come with you, but she will appreciate you thinking of her and showing that you appreciate her company.
It's also important to be taking care of yourself during this time as well, as seeing a loved one struggling can be taxing on yourself too. Journalling, having a chat to a GP, psychologist, or another loved one who may be able to offer relevant advice and insight can be useful.
Take care, and please let us know how you're feeling. We'd love to chat more with you.
SB
