I have hated myself growing up and punished myself for the guilt and shame that my family instilled in me. They silenced me from ever speaking about my trauma, which led me to develop PTSD.
I always had a mask of happiness and separated my home life from my school/work life, pretending everything was okay, seldom having friends over or often escaping to other friends’ homes in grade school.
Schools just looked at me like I was a troubled kid and never offered any support. I started coping using substances in my teens, and they led me down a darker path.
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