Losing yourself in a relationship can be much more toxic than you think.
Brittaney Lynn Shane, a young woman in Alabama, recently used her Facebook page to share her personal experience of being in an emotionally abusive relationship for almost two years.
The open letter to her ex describes how Shane was stripped of her individuality and confidence over the course of the relationship. After her ex continually pointed out her flaws and imperfections -- from the length of her hair, to her piercings and tattoos -- Shane spiraled into a state of confusion and self-doubt.
The post explains that in an attempt to satisfy her ex’s desires, Shane tried her best to become someone she wasn’t, but in the end, it still wasn’t good enough. Shane wrote that after her ex left her for a “younger prettier girl,” she blamed herself for everything that went wrong until she finally started to see the truth.
Her inspirational and empowering Facebook post shows Shane coming to terms with the fact that she was not the problem in the relationship, and furthermore, accepting that all she needs to be in this world is herself and encouraging others to do the same. The post has been shared more than 35,000 times since Shane first shared it in early December.
Shane also included a photo of herself flaunting her so-called “flaws” -- having realized that they are the things that make her so wonderfully unique.