Complex sentence: Abby's childhood is revealed to have been very difficult; she was forced to cope with her mother's erratic behavior and long absences, and had to take care of her younger brother Eric (Tom Everett Scott).
Split into simpler sentences: Abby's childhood is revealed to have been very difficult. She also had to deal with her mother's long absences, and had to take care of her younger brother Eric (played by Tom Everett Scott).