Sinead O'Connor's Family Tried to Help But Running Out of Patience

Sinead O'Connor's mental illness has gotten out of control ... and we're told family members are starting to feel there's nothing that can be done to save her.

Sources close to the situation tell us O'Connor's family has spent decades trying to get the singer professional help -- we're told the problem is she doesn't want to get help. The source says her family is trying to move on with their lives now after years of emotional abuse, fleeing and blaming her children for her suicide attempts.

However, we're told a family member did step in when O'Connor went missing.

We're told O'Connor had been sending voicemails and texts to a relative threatening to kill herself -- hours later that relative stepped in when they were contacted by O'Connor's friend she's staying with, saying she'd gone missing.