Christina Applegate recalls abusive relationship, shares 'lesson' for people dating 'broken birds'

Christina Applegate wants others to learn from her mistakes when it comes to trying to fix addicts.

Applegate was in a longterm physically abusive relationship that began in her teenage years following a difficult childhood.

"My mom always said, 'I never met a junkie I didn’t like.' And that kind of was how I rolled," Applegate, 54, told People.

"I never was with anyone who had a real job. I was always with these broken birds that I wanted to fix. I just always thought I could do it," she confessed.

"And you know what? You can’t. It’s like, if I can be a lesson to anyone," she remarked.

Recalling her childhood being raised by a single mom Nancy Priddy, the Married … With Children star said, "I think I had kind of the worst situation from 3 to 7, but there was stuff like that going on in all our homes. Single moms, men coming in and out, drugs. It’s always fun to see your mom crying on the floor and you not being taken care of."

Christina Applegate explores her upbringing, abusive relationships, her battle with breast cancer and Multiple Schlerosis in her upcoming memoir, You With the Sad Eyes.