Abigail Breslin Opens Up About Past Abusive Relationship: 'I Was Beaten on a Regular Basis'

“I am still healing,” the Little Miss Sunshine actress revealed in an Instagram post

Abigail Breslin
Abigail Breslin. Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty

Abigail Breslin is sharing her experience with domestic violence in hopes of helping others struggling feel less alone.

The actress, 26, shared a post on Instagram Friday in which she opened up about a previous abusive relationship. "October is #domesticviolenceawarenessmonth and I wanted to share a little bit about my story," the actress wrote alongside a carousel of text posts that detailed her experience.

"I was in a very abusive relationship for close to 2 years," Breslin wrote. "It all started out perfectly, I was so in love. Unfortunately, my abuser took advantage of my innocence and naïveté and the relationship subsequently became violent. I was beaten on a regular basis, locked into rooms and forced to pretend everything was ok and normal while dealing with intense injuries… injuries most people didn't even see."

The actress described how she would hide injuries and how she felt during the ongoing abuse. "I would use concealer and caked on foundation to hide any and all bruises, because in some way, I still cared for this person," she said.

"The physical injuries were also accompanied by a plethora of put downs, shaming and harsh verbal abuse," Breslin shared. "I felt so unworthy of anyones love. I felt ugly and hated. I felt like I deserved less than dirt. I was certain, there must be something inherently WRONG with ME."

Breslin thanked the friends and family who helped her during this time. "These 2 years were the loneliest I have ever felt," the Zombieland actress wrote. "I am beyond thankful for the support of my family and friends who played an instrumental and invaluable role in helping me leave this horrible situation. I will forever be indebted to those closest to me for them not only assisting me but, BELIEVING me."

In the Instagram post, the actress also talked about the PTSD she deals with since the relationship ended.

Abigail Breslin engaged
Abigail Breslin and Ira Kunyansky. Getty

"I now am in a wonderful, healthy, happy and amazing relationship with my fiancé," she wrote. "My C-PTSD (complex post traumatic stress disorder) is much better than it was in the first 2 years after my abusive relationship, but, I still have moments. I still occasionally have nightmares, and certain things still do trigger me. I am still healing."

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Breslin then shared information for those who might need help. "If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, NCADV (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence) has a 24 hours helpline 1-800-799-7233."

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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