Avery's Story

Trigger warning - discussion of childhood abuse and trauma

It’s hard to put everything I’ve been through into words, but I want to share part of my story in the hope it helps someone else feel less alone.

My life began in a very unsafe environment. As a baby and young child, I experienced neglect and abuse, and I lost my sister in a tragic way very early in life. I was removed from that home and placed into foster care, where things were still difficult and often frightening.

When I was adopted, I hoped life would finally feel safe. For a while, it did. But over time, I experienced further harm from someone close to the family. As a child, I didn’t fully understand what was happening, only that it wasn’t right and that I felt completely alone. When I tried to speak up, I wasn’t believed, which made everything even harder to carry.

As I grew older, things at home became unstable again. There was a lot of anger, substance use, and unpredictability, and I often felt like I had to hold everything together on my own. During this time, I found a close friend who became a source of comfort and support for me. Losing her suddenly was devastating, and it felt like the one safe connection I had was gone. After that loss, I struggled deeply. There were times when I found myself in unsafe situations and experienced further trauma. I didn’t feel like I had anywhere to turn, and I carried everything on my own for a long time.

Eventually, I came into contact with mental health services and was admitted to hospital. At first, I found it difficult to trust anyone or open up, but over time I began to realise that I needed support and that I couldn’t keep holding everything in alone.

As I got older, I entered a relationship that at first felt safe, but later became harmful. I stayed longer than I should have, hoping things would change. When I became pregnant, I believed it might be a turning point but instead, I experienced a loss that was incredibly painful and difficult to process. That period of my life was one of the lowest points I had ever experienced. But it also became a moment where something began to shift. I realised that I wanted things to be different. I wanted to find a way to heal.

During my time in hospital, I started to open up about what I had been through - the abuse, the trauma, and the ways I had been coping. It wasn’t easy, but it helped. Since then, things haven’t been perfect, but they have changed. There has been some healing within my family, and I’ve continued trying to move forward, even when it’s hard.

I’m still here. I’m still trying and things are better than they once were.

That’s my story.