I was 8, Anonymous (16)

Hi, when I was only 2 my parents divorced because my dad had a problem with alcohol and my mom couldn’t listen or hear anyone but herself. I grew up pretty unaware of these problems until I was about 8. My mom who never remarried and only worked a part-time job began putting her hands on me. sometimes beating me, covering my mouth so I wouldn’t scream so the other residents of our apartment complex wouldn’t hear. she would do this to the point where sometimes I would pass out. I remember one time I was crying because I was sad about what happened at school, and she continuously hit me in the eye until I stopped crying. the next day it was a black eye, she told me to tell the counselor I was seeing at school that “I got hit by a ball while playing catch” ... but I didn’t. I spoke up. BIGGEST MISTAKE. she sent me to my dad's house and he has a severe problem with alcohol, and he gets aggressive and short-fused whenever her drinks. so he beat me. again, again, and again. even when I was back with my mom and came to visit him I would always come back to my mom's house with a new bruise:/ this abuse lasted for years from both of them, verbally, mentally, and physically. fast forward a while he almost died from the alcohol. 10 doctors said he would die, it’s a miracle but he lived. He and my mom have changed. he quit because he had no choice too. and my mom now knows she can’t put her hands on me because I’m old enough to call the cops. now I just have these memories and they affect me every day. I have depression, panic attack disorder, anxiety, and an eating disorder. I let these memories and worse take over my head. I got kicked out of school, I lost connections, I’ve tried to kill myself. but as of now. I’m doing okay. I have people that love me, and a sorta better mindset and I’m starting from there.