Relationship Status:
No, I’ve left
Length of Relationship:
Over 10 years
Types of Emotional Abuse Experienced:
Criticism or name-calling, silent treatment, gaslighting, financial control, minimizing my needs or feelings
Her Story
I didn’t realize it was abuse for a long time.
There were no bruises. No yelling. Just the slow erosion of who I was.
He’d correct me constantly—in front of people. I’d laugh it off.
He made decisions for me, convinced me I couldn’t handle things on my own.
I started apologizing all the time—for things I hadn’t even done.
I remember once I stood in front of the mirror and whispered,
“You’re disappearing.”
I knew then that I had to find my way back to myself.
What Helped
Journaling gave me a safe place to tell the truth—at least to myself.
Tiny walks outside helped me breathe again.
A playlist that reminded me of who I used to be became my soundtrack for survival.
And eventually, I told a friend. She didn’t try to fix me. She just listened.
That changed everything.
What She Wishes She’d Known
That abuse doesn’t have to be loud to be real.
That you can be worn down over years by little comments, invisible punishments, and constant doubt—and that it still counts.
That your pain is valid, even if no one else sees it.
To the Woman Still Struggling
Please don’t wait for permission to trust yourself.
You are allowed to leave.
You are allowed to stay and gather strength.
You are allowed to heal.
And you don’t have to do it alone anymore.
What Rising Looks Like
I’m rising by telling the truth—even anonymously.
I’m rising by remembering who I was before the silence.
And I’m rising by becoming someone new—someone who chooses herself every time.
