After An Abusive Childhood: Sometimes You Forget You Can Walk Away

Whenever drama is going on. Everyone else runs the other way but you stay there. Sometimes you believe it’s your job to be drama control. It’s as though growing up being subjected to physical abuse makes you believe that you can’t just walk away. You forget you have that ability now- you don’t have to just stand there and take it. Or try to defend yourself. One of the hardest things for me is realizing during tense situations that I have the choice to walk away. I’m so used to debilitating fear and control that sometimes I forget.

I haven’t been in an abusive relationship since I left home, but sometimes this happens in normal conflict.