Trapped in the cycle of abuse. - Mental Health Sup...

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Trapped in the cycle of abuse.

Owlz profile image
Owlz
22 Replies

My family have been trapped in an abusive cycle for generations. My mother and her mentally handicapped sister were sexually abused by their father. He went to prison, their mother into a mental home and they were put into care.

My mother couldn't break the cycle, instead, she kept it going by physically, mentally and emotionally abusing my 2 brothers and I.

I remember my mother grabbing my brother and I when I was a toddler and he was a baby, she ran into the night after a severe beating from her husband.

A few years later, my father turned up, stinking drunk at my primary school and the headmaster let him take me away without asking or informing my mother. He locked us both in his flat and sexually abused me for 2 days. Times were different back then. When I got into my first sexual relationship at 16yo, all those memories I had blocked out came back to me. When I told my mother she said 'That's not a surprise, that's how I got pregnant with you'. Then she told me that she was too far along for an abortion when she found out she was pregnant. She had run from her husband and went back to England to live with family. She told me how she tried to put me up for adoption but was forced to keep me because my father refused to sign the adoption papers. She was then forced to go back to her husband and the rest is history.

Her choice of men was along the same lines. Woman beaters, criminals, animal abusers, child abusers. It was endless abuse from her and her men. Her 3rd and final husband began sexually harassing me from 13yo. It continued when I went to visit my mum and lasted until my late 30's when I got banned from the house for getting into a physical fight with her husband. My mother just told me to ignore it and stop rocking the boat and causing arguments.

Her mentally handicapped sister moved in with her after her husband died. My mother's husband began a sexual relationship with her and then they both began to verbally, mentally and emotionally abuse my mother and my mentally sick brother. The authorities couldn't do anything about it because my mum's sister, who has the mental and emotional age of a 10yo, denied the relationship to protect my mother's husband.

I was thrown out at 16yo and ended up in abusive relationships. Boyfriends who beat me up as well as abusing me. But that was better than being harassed by my stepfather and knowing that my mother would not protect me.

One of my brother's ended up a cannabis addict and suffered some kind of mental psychosis. He was very difficult to get along with and couldn't live a life outside of the family home because of it. My 2 brothers and I were physically, mentally, emotionally and I was also sexually harassed by her husband too. She just told me to ignore it and I spent my whole life finding a way to break the cycle of abuse. I finally did, but at terrible cost.

Living in that house was like being in a horror movie. I still fantasise about killing her husband because he has torn our family apart and my family did nothing to stop him. The council wouldn't remove him because he had rights to stay in the house too. The police believed her husband over her when she tried to have him removed from the house. They advised her to leave instead.

So finally a crisis happened and my mother and my mentally ill brother were forced to leave with nowhere else to go.

I let them come and stay with my family and I.

This happened just before xmas 2013.

My mentally ill brother has psychosis brought on by constant use of cannabis. Those who say cannabis is harmless needs to spend time with him. He is extremely difficult to be around, his grip on reality is very weak at best. His reality is full of hallucinations and designs of grandeur and paranoia. I have been trying to get him help for years. But, unless he accepted he had a problem, no-one would help him. When he came to stay with me, he caused so much friction and bad atmosphere in my home that I had to find other accommodation for him. That didn't work out either and he ended up back here again.

I found them a house to rent near me where I could go and look after my mother during the day while my youngest brother was working. He refused to do it because it meant getting 2 buses to work instead of 1.

As for my mother, she refused to make any decisions. Instead she chopped and changed her plans based on who she spoke to from one minute to the next. That on it's own caused so many arguments and my kids were beginning to be affected by it all.

My youngest brother could be classed as close to normal. But the fact is that he's just like my mother. He's not abusive or anything, he just didn't want to deal with any of the abuse and stuck his head in the ground. He ignored it and did nothing to protect my mother from the abuse at the hands of her husband and sister. My mentally ill brother ignored it all as well, spending his time wasted on cannabis and lost in whatever delusion he had invented at that time.

My mentally ill brother convinced my mother that I was a monster, a control freak who should be locked up in a mental hospital. My mother told me there was nothing wrong with him, that I was the one who was sick and needed to be locked up. That the only reason she was staying with me and my family was because she had nowhere else to go and that it was not by choice.

At that point I broke down. I can't describe the hurt she caused me with those few words. I told my mentally ill brother and mother to leave my home and go to the council and declare themselves homeless within the next few days. They no longer talk to me or my kids.

Since then I have gotten more and more depressed. I had put so much faith into the idea that I could help them and that we'd all be a happy, normal, family. Now that is gone and I know with my mother's failing health, that it won't be long before she dies. She and my 2 brothers will die blaming me for all their misery.

I know that's not really the case. I realise they did it because they can't take responsibility for their part in the cycle of abuse. Better to blame someone else and I'm the perfect choice. The one who stood up to it all, who defended them and encouraged them to get out of there. But that doesn't mean that it hurts any less. The depression has gotten worse over the last few months. I've lost interested in everything, I don't want to go out anymore, I suffer chronic insomnia due to ptsd which is the result of being born into such a screwed up family. I know what is wrong with me and I keep going and hopefully one morning I'll wake up and it'll all be okay again. Hopefully.

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Owlz profile image
Owlz
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22 Replies
Luckyring56 profile image
Luckyring56

What a terrible time you've had of things but you seem very determined to break the cycle even though it has meant the loss of your family. How sad and yet how normal that you should now suffer from depression as a result of it all. I do hope you are getting help for your PTSD and insomnia.

Thank you for sharing a terrible and yet very real life story, you are very brave to put it all into writing and I too hope that your one morning will dawn and things will all be OK for you.

(((Gentle & loving hugs)))

Lorraine

xxx

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply toLuckyring56

I'm sure it will. We all are stronger than we know. xxx

Suzie40 profile image
Suzie40

You have certainly experienced an awful set of circumstances and there is countless evidence that supports the idea that people who are abused will continue to abuse themselves. However, you have the power to end the cycle by getting help for yourself, to make sure that you and your children experience a healthy relationship. Are you receiving support / counselling etc?

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply toSuzie40

Yeah I've been in therapy for most of my life as a result. Not in therapy now though. One therapist said 'leave your toxic family, just go' when I was 18yo. lol. I'm much better today, we all have days when we wonder why we even bother to keep going. That was a bad day. The next day was better. Yeah my kids are pretty normal. They learned a lot of what I teach them not to be like from my family. So sad that their own relatives are a strong example of what not to be. Thank you so much for your kind words. xxx

Jesus. I don't know what to say. I'm sorry you had that life/upbringing. You know, the fact that you still want to know your mum is amazing to me, I would have cut her & your siblings out of my life long ago and in the most spiteful way I could imagine, you're a better person than me. Please try really hard not to let their words hurt you anymore, they have hurt you too much as it is. I really don't know what else to say right now, all I want to do is apologise for the upbringing you had.

I would say to break the cycle might be staying away from them all, but I don't believe you want to otherwise you would have done it already.

Don't let them hurt you or your kids anymore.

James

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply to

I would never let my family hurt my kids. They are my life and my chance to change the future for the better. I think we all love our parents and siblings, they are our blood and those who have good parents are so lucky. I was always jealous of other kids for that reason.

I guess I'm naive. I know how awful my family are, but I always pray for a happy ending. I don't attempt to try and talk them out of their disowning of me. I have accepted the situation, just wish it never ended this way. Don't apologise for the actions of other people. The only person who is responsible for your thoughts, words and actions is yourself. It's a good thing to be aware of. xxx

in reply toOwlz

You're an amazing person, you're my new hero. Reading your post was a bit difficult but your replies are inspiring, thank you. You my have been jealous of other kids parents but your kids will never think that as they have a great mum. You give me hope that I can overcome my depression and I hope others agree with me and feel the same way. I can be a heartless bastard sometimes, especially when the depression is kicking my arse, but your words really got to me thank you for sharing them it must have been difficult. Again, thank you x

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply to

I'm glad I could be of help. Yes it's the one thing that got me through everything in my life. I used to think 'what did I do that they did this or that to me?' but it wasn't me. It was them and it's a rule that helps my kids so much when the feel guilty with bad interaction with other people and kids etc. Guilt and self punishment is a trap for you mentally and emotionally. It's important to understand that one rule. It's very liberating and really does change the way you look at things. xxx

MsSad profile image
MsSad

Hey I'm so sorry for everything you've been and still going through. I really don't know what to say but wanted you to know that I had read your post.

It seems to me that you've been hurt quite enough from these people and u should try and look after YOU now!

I hope you're getting some support or meds etc?

Big bear hug to u

Nikki x

Suzie40 profile image
Suzie40 in reply toMsSad

Hi Nikki, how are you? Haven't seen you much lately x

MsSad profile image
MsSad in reply toSuzie40

hey Lucy, i've had a bad few days, couldnt even manage to log on. Hopefully better days ahead?!

thanks for asking x

Hope all ok with you?

Suzie40 profile image
Suzie40 in reply toMsSad

I'm good thanks. If you ever want to chat just drop me a message x

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply toMsSad

Ty so much Nikki. Yes I'm normal again. I live for my kids. They're doing great and they're happy and pretty much normal. They have a great life and are really happy. This is my success and my gift to the world as they are good kids and will be great people. xxx

Stilltrying_ profile image
Stilltrying_

You are the strongest one of the bunch and the one who is able to face reality. Don't leave it to chance though that you will wake up one day and it will be ok. Do get yourself some proper long term counselling. You will need to work through a lot. You already seem to have a lot of insight. I do not know what area you are in but I am putting in a link of an organisation that has therapists all over the uk and is low cost although they are mainly based in Birmingham and London; so there may well be something similar and more local to you if this turns out not to be suitable.

Thank you for sharing your story and don't give up. Gemmalouise X

icap.org.uk/

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply toStilltrying_

I'll certainly take a look at them Gemma ty. I'm pretty clued up thanks to years of therapy. So I know when I'm struggling a bit and it helps to just get it out from inside my head and heart. Then all is good until the next time :) It's something I would suggest everyone does. xxx

Photogeek profile image
Photogeek

Hi there your post contains so much for a first post. It will need some time to re read it.

As everyone has said it has been A horrific upbringing. You can change the cycle,

You haven't said if you have got support or are going through counselling. So it's

Hard to know what to say without knowing about your current situation

Your first duty is to yourself and your children, so I think you should protect

Yourself and your children from all this. Get every help that is available to you

And if you do that you can with help break this dysfunctional and abusive cycle .

Hannah

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply toPhotogeek

The cycle is broken. It took a 6yr break from relationships to be able to enter a healthy relationship.

We are all very happy and always look to the future. The main point is that my kids are doing great. They have a great life and a bright future. The cycle of abuse has ended but the hurt stays. One day at a time. xxx

Hi,

I agree with what other people have said in their responses. You have had a really difficult life since an early age and yet you have survived it all and found a way to break the cycle of abuse - Well done! I know from experience how difficult that can be although my experience have not been as horrific as yours.

I guess the reason you are depressed now is that you are having to come to terms with being unable to rescue the remainder of your family. You have managed to break free yourself and that will have a very positive effect upon your own children, but you cannot save everyone from the harm that has been done to them and it is natural that you will be depressed the more you come to terms with knowing that. You need to grieve - for what was done to you in the past, for what was done to others in your family, for what you didn't have as a child and for what some members of your family still do not have - a normal life - as a result of what has been done to them during their lifetime. There is a lot for you to grieve about an I think you would benefit from having someone experienced in dealing with sexual abuse to share your feelings with. Either you can ask your GP to refer you to the local secondary mental health services where there should be specialists who offer psychotherapy or depending upon where you live you could go to one of the private organisations for survivors of sexual abuse. Sharing your feelings with others who understand and have had traumatic experiences will enable you to begin to let go of the past.

Suexxx

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply to

Wow this is so true and what you have said struck a deep cord. I will certainly consider restarting therapy, if only to make sense of the ending that I had not envisioned. I think that's the most hurtful aspect of the ending of it all. Thank you. xxx

in reply toOwlz

I am glad it helped. You may find you are initially only offered 6 weeks CBT but if that is not helpful you have a right to then ask to be referred to the service for more complex needs (they MAY even agree to refer you direct to that service seeing as how you have already had some therapy). I hope it goes well, and let us know how you get on. Meanwhile we are here for support.

Suexx

Hi I have just read your post and I am gobsmacked at what you have been through. I am not surprised you are depressed! Well done you for being so strong and brave to break the cycle for your own children. That is not easy. I am sure you love your birth family but it is not in your power to make them 'normal'. What you musn't do is let them drag you down too much. You need to put your children first at all times. They are the ones who can lead a normal life and you can't let them be too affected by your family. If anything comes out of all this mess it is that you have broken the cycle and as a consequence your children will not suffer as you had and still do. It will not help them to have a depressed mother. I know you are trying your best for your mother and siblings but there must come a point where you have to let go. For your sake and for your children's sake. I agree that you should see a doctor and start treatment for your depression ie meds maybe but certainly counselling as Sue said. You don't need toxic relationships in your life and that's what they are - toxic. Related or not. They are still abusing you. You must stop it. Good luck. x

Owlz profile image
Owlz in reply to

Thank you for this. You have all made me realise that I do still need to sort myself out more for the sake of my kids. I think it's hard sometimes to see past the hurt that tries to drown us and drag us down. I'll update you all and maybe I can help you guys out in some way. I've had tonnes of experience at everything lol. Have to laugh because sometimes life is beyond crazy. xxx

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