When it comes to parents, it's a lottery. You had a losing ticket. If you can possibly avoid it, don't move back in with them. Develop a plan to make yourself self-supporting. Nothing gives self-esteem a bigger lift than knowing you can take care of you.

I disagree with the notion that we need to forgive those who've hurt us in order to make ourselves whole. Mainly, we need to reduce how much time we spend mentally re-living the abuse and neglect. Scale back on that. There were issues in their own lives that made your parents the miserable creatures they became. It probably goes back generations. Learning the dynamics of that might help you step back and see them with eyes less clouded by emotion. That doesn't mean you have to be where they dump their personal angst. You have no obligation whatsoever to make yourself available to them, so they can mistreat you.

Do all you can to get away from them and stay away from them. Don't rely on some guy to provide you with refuge. As you've experienced, that can be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

You may be eligible for some income support on the basis of your psych history. Keep in touch with a source of psych treatment. If you are prescribed medication, take it. Build a paper trail documenting that you struggle with emotional issues. I'm not a big believer in psych labels, but a psychiatrist has to give you one. And it should come from a psychiatrist, not just a therapist. With the amount of adversity that you have to overcome, you will - from time to time - have periods of feeling overwhelmed or devastated or unable to cope. You want that documented.

But you will have your victories also. You're intelligent. You extricated yourself from a terrible relationship. You have an ability to make friends. (Choose them with care.) Do not go moving in with another guy, until after you have known him for at least a year.

Your parents were rotten to you. You have a right to assert that and have that validated. They are never going to be sorry. They are never going to make up to you for the past. (Maybe your dad is kinda of sorry, but I wouldn't be too impressed with his remorse.)

If you are still living with your parents, you have to put up an invisible psychic shield around yourself. But living with these two will always be toxic for you. I might go to a homeless shelter first.

Men who are abusive can identify women who have been abused. It's like you have a neon sign on your forehead, saying "I'm used to being crapped on." So be very skeptical of why a man takes an interest in you.

If you can possibly get into a vocational training program, it might help you unlock your potential that has been been stifled. Going part-time might be best. I think partial hospitalization programs can be very helpful. (I got a lot out of one.) Then there are Psychsocial rehab programs, though they tend to focus on clients who are functioning at a pretty low level.

You have a lot of psychic wounding to heal from. Don't dwell on the pain of the past. It was what it was. Don't let it define you.