Candybear, you sound great. Intelligent, you express yourself well, you must be strong, to have been through such crap (without turning into a serial killer). Also, you sound a lot like me -- verbally abusive family, being treated like I don't matter, hitting back (I did that, too. Hey, we weren't punching bags!), needing to remember to breathe, having to struggle with road rage (I'm also from the upper midwest). Yep, we're cut from the same cloth, it sounds like.

You have my sympathy and my best wishes. Hang in there. (((cb))) You're da best dere is, kid. Don't let nobody tell ya no different.