It just occurred to me recently how I grew up in a home where I was hit almost daily. Looking at it, I realized that if one were to visit a home of another relative or close acquaintance and was treated that way, they would never want to return. But, when in a close family situation as a child, one has no choice but to remain. This constant treatment has to impact one's attitudes toward relationships in general.
I can also see how this skewed my attempts at healthy relationships as a young adult and onward. I simply lacked the tools for it. Being trapped in an abusive parent/child relationship really did a number on me. How: by staying in abusive relationships instead of doing the healthy thing and walking away. I realized that I have spent at least HALF of my life recovering from one bad relationship or another. And because I was so conditioned to take it and say nothing as a child, I stayed much longer than a healthy person would have done. Also, and this is the time factor, taking very long periods to recover.
Does this sound familiar to anyone else here?
Patty