For years, I was bullied, harassed and ridiculed- even when I was at my most vulnerable. People laughed at my symptoms, criticised my coping mechanisms, judged me and assumed I was “stupid” or “naive”. I was mocked for my emotions, for self-harm, for trying to survive in a body that often felt like a battleground. I was struggling just to live in my own skin and yet instead of care or compassion, I was met with cruelty. Not only by strangers, but by my own family.

This kind of treatment cuts deeply, because it confirms the fears trauma already plants- that you are “too much”, “broken” or “wrong”. But the truth is, I never was. I was surviving the best way my body and nervous system knew how. I was trying to stay afloat in an environment that punished sensitivity instead of honouring it.

“It’s who you are, not how you seem. And no one truly knows the battles you’ve survived by just looking at the surface.”

Even those closest to me- family, neighbours, friend- sometimes failed to protect me or even respected my boundaries. They mocked my reactions, twisted my words and made me question my reality. They used my honesty against me, weaponised my vulnerabilities and made me doubt my own truth. They assumed, because I was quiet, I didn’t see what was happening. But I always did. I observed. I processed. I learned how to navigate chaos without losing myself- even if my nervous system screamed at me.

I am here today, because I chose myself. Because I realised that people who act cruel or manipulate are showing their own limitations- their own inability to empathise or take accountability. Their behaviour is about them, not about me. And my survival, my boundaries and my truth are mine to protect.

It’s taken me years to understand my body and mind. Chronic illness, CPTSD, fibromyalgia- these are not weaknesses. They are parts of me that have endured, that have survived, that have taught me self-awareness and resilience. And through all of this, I’ve learned that standing up for myself and my son isn’t just necessary- it’s sacred.

I will no longer let cruelty, manipulation or judgement dictate my life. I will honour my truth, protect my boundaries and choose myself every single day. And I will continue to observe, learn and grow- not in spite of my trauma, but because of it.

If there is one thing I want anyone reading this to know, it’s this: being sensitive, being vulnerable, being human is not a weakness. Surviving cruelty, trauma and neglect shows strength that no one can take from you. Your truth is real, your boundaries are valid and your survival is a testament to your resilience.

“Never judge a book by its cover; the depth of a person’s truth is often hidden behind what the world sees on the surface.”