Can I just say, Paul said he was abused as a child. I resonate with that. I was barely 14 when a horrible man took my innocence away from me. Only 3 very close people in my life know about it, not even my parents, and now you guys.
It fucked me up for a long time. I felt worthless. I drank ALL THE TIME from the age of 15. I fell pregnant at 18. I was a mess… but I got my shit together. I studied. I learnt to drive. I got my housing sorted so we would have a home, it wasn’t a palace- but it was ours. I worked 12 hours a day to provide for my son. That was just the start of my journey.
i’m 26 now, settled down, engaged, with a family (2 kids) in my own home we purchased and I look back and think ‘shit. How did I get through that on my own’.
So Paul, I understand what you went through. I truly do. It doesn’t excuse you being a shitty person though and using it as an excuse to defend your actions. You have to own what you have done. It’s not a card you can whip out when you get called out for doing something heinous. Please seek therapy, seriously.