What Happened:

Ever since I was 14, I have been in and out of abusive relationships. It started with physical abuse and then progressed to verbal and mental abuse as well. I used to lock myself in my bathroom at home and cry because I thought that I was doing something horribly wrong. I thought that it was my fault. I did not understand why every boy that I had dated wanted to hurrt me. I thought that there was something wrong with me.

How I coped:

I didn't cope very well with this abuse. I tried to hide it from myself and my family and my friends. I buried the pain and the anger away deep inside of me where I thought no one could ever find it. I just kept on going like everything was normal. I ket dating the same kind of guys and was trapped in this whirlwind of hurt and pain.

How the situation changed:

For a long time, the situation didn't change at all. I kept going through the same thing over and over and over again and never got help. I kept everything inside of me and wouldn't let anyone help me. I thought that I could deal with everything on my own.

What helped me to get stronger:

I finally broke down after a really bad day to my best friend. She listened to me and let me cry out all of my hurt and anger and frustrations. She helped me see that I am not to blame for what happened to me. She showed me that I am an amazing person and do not deserve to be treated like I am worth nothing.

What I would say to someone who is being abused:

You need to realize that what has happened to you is not your fault. You need to see that you can be strong. No matter what, you need to tell someone that you trust so that they can help you with the damage that someone else has inflicted upon you. People who abuse are not worth being with and are not good. Once you are free everything gets better. Your whole life opens up in front of you and you can be happy again without any fear.