“I was the little girl whose story no one knew. The little girl who hid in closets. My screams for help were never heard outside the four walls of my home. And yet, I am living proof you can heal.”
To My Abusive Parents: Because Of You, I Will Live Life With An Abundance Of Love
‘I shoved my newborn into my husband’s arms before violently jumping and screaming, ‘I’m not going to die!’ I hadn’t slept the whole time.’: Mom with bipolar disorder shares journey with postpartum psychosis
“I admitted myself to a psychiatric facility. My husband went back to our newborn by himself, without paternity leave. I want to make sure other bipolar women don’t give birth without being prepared.”
‘I’m no longer that angry little girl who was hurt. With my mom, it’s like it never happened.’: Abuse survivor adopted as adult finally has loving mother relationship
“In my mind, I accepted I was born to grow up as an adult without parents. But in my heart, I was broken holiday after holiday needing them. I was torn on my children’s birthdays, when they had no grandparents there. I cried for years trying to fill the void.”
‘You’re not in a morgue. Girls get raped and murdered every day, you’re not dying!’ I had to get out.’: Adoptee opens up about mishandling of her child sex abuse case, escaping home at 18
“‘What happens in this house STAYS in this house.’ I lived in a world where not only my adoptive mother would cover this up, but my own biological sisters AND our assistant pastor. The minute I turned 18, I was escaping.”
‘Mom, believe me! I didn’t do it!’ he cried. ‘All 3 of them can’t be lying!’ It scared me hearing him try to manipulate his way out.’: Adoptee opens up about years of sexual abuse from older brother
“My heart sank, a lump formed in my throat, and I was frozen in hell. I knew what she was going to say. I knew why my sisters were crying, and before my mouth could form any words at all, the tears began pouring down my face.”
‘I spent half the day in the bathroom, desperately wanting to flush my dope down the toilet but being completely powerless.’: Former heroin, meth addict shares her incredible recovery
“When I tried heroin for the first time, I felt what I imagined the love of a mother must feel like, like a warm hug from the inside out. I believed I had finally found security and love.”
‘Don’t say anything. You don’t want to be taken from home, do you?’ We hid in our rooms, afraid of the people supposed to keep us safe.’: Child trauma survivor marries best friend, finds meaning of ‘real love’
“All I knew was I was scared of ‘love.’ I didn’t want it. In fact, I wanted to run from it like it was the plague. I wish I could go back and hold myself like I held my siblings. I wish I could tell little Jas that real love was coming. An angel on earth. The most adorable, bi-racial boy with the biggest dimples and largest afro I had ever seen.”
‘I have babies to deliver. Yours is dying, so make it quick.’ She reached in, ripped her out.’: Mom opens up about horrifying medical malpractice causing severe disability, repeat stillbirths
“Had the nurse just called an emergency, had the doctor just put aside that she didn’t like our parental choices… we wouldn’t have to live with this unbearable pain.”
‘My husband said, ‘It’s a girl!’ I was terrified. How could I connect with such a huge mother wound?’: Girl mom, child trauma survivor urges ‘you can break generational patterns’
“Finding out I was pregnant was an initial shock. I had vowed I would never have children. How could I mother children if I didn’t have a mother example to rely on? After the initial shock, I became ecstatic about the possibilities – until I realized I had a 50-50 chance of having a daughter!”
‘I remember coming home from school, seeing you on the couch. You didn’t ask me how my day was. I get it now, mom.’: Mom battling depression, suicidal ideations says ‘your illness doesn’t make you a bad mom’
“It’s not that you didn’t want to get off the couch, it’s that you couldn’t. Your mind was so sick it made you physically unable to function. It made you so tired the most simple tasks felt like climbing Mt. Everest.”