This story contains so many lessons for all of us, both men and women. We are all vulnerable to abuse. We take our tendency for self-doubt too far.But the most important lesson from my point of view, is that abusers always lose. And so often, like your ex, they bring about the very thing they fear through their destructive actions. Out of desperation they overplay their hands and force the one they are abusing to wake up to reality and leave them.This is exactly what happened to me many years ago with my abusive first husband. He was so intent on keeping me under control by abusing me, that I finally left him. Since that time (about 20 years ago), he has become more and more unstable- I know this only because of our daughter.As the king of abusers would say, "Sad." They are all pathetic losers because the only way they know how to get what they want is to oppress someone.I predict that your ex will go down hard as he gets too old to attract vulnerable women. Like my ex, he will end up alone and bitter, having never learned the wonderful lesson that you have, the lesson of inner strength.Keep on enjoying your newfound freedom. And thank you for sharing this inspiring story.