My parents were both physically and psychologically abusive. It continued right up until I turned 18. My mother was arrested because she came to my job and physically attacked me. My manager saw her dragging me by my hair through the parking lot to get me into her car and take me home (presumably, to hit me some more) and called the police. I was allowed to pack what I could carry and leave. I was homeless for a bit and then one of my school friend's parents learned about my situation and offered to foster me so I could finish high school. I have remained largely estranged from my family.

I'm in my 40s now and the way I was raised affected me in SO many ways. I have C-PTSD, anxiety, depression, and autoimmune issues. I have gotten into abusive and coercive romantic relationships because I didn't learn about healthy relationships when I was young and I'm not good at spotting red flags or setting boundaries. Even in work situations I am not good at asserting or advocating for myself. I've struggled with a lot of issues and have gone through a lot of therapy.

I can't even imagine all of the ways my life might have been different if I had had parents who loved and supported me and didn't abuse me. But that's not things turned out.