We all have secrets. You, me, all of us.
Some are dark, some are embarrassing, and some are so personal that we can’t even fathom telling them to the people we are closest to in life.
I’m not saying that’s a good or a bad thing, it’s just the way it is.
So, what’s a secret you can only share with online strangers?
Here’s what AskReddit users had to say.
1. Wow.
“Sometimes when my medical issues are acting up I can’t even remember my husband’s name.
I know who he is but it’s like the data is corrupted and my brain is returning ‘unknown error’ instead of ‘name’.”
2. Hang in there.
“Don’t know how I’m going to survive now without stepdad.
Died Saturday.
Things just hurt so much.”
3. This is terrible.
“My mother was afraid of death.
On the day she died, five different doctors told me there was no hope (and there wasn’t). They also told me she couldn’t be aware of what’s going on.
She was. She would open her eyes when she heard me. I asked her several times if she wanted off the vent, and she’d nod. I’d clarify that this would mean it was her time to go, and she wouldn’t answer any way.
After several hours of watching a team off nurses work on her while she was circling the drain, I gave the consent.
Her last action was one of fear. I am fully convinced that she was completely aware of what was happening for at least 15 seconds (even with a large morphine dose). She grasped at me with her hands as though she were trying to cling to life.
I’ve had many nightmares about it.”
4. No more relationships?
“Since my divorce, I don’t really want a relationship.
I date some and keep it casual and had one “actual” girlfriend for 3 months and it was pure hell. My family doesn’t get it, but I really like doing the dad and kids thing.
I went to counseling in case it was some carryover issues from my marriage, but it seems I just like being on my own.
I’m scared that won’t change long-term, I don’t want to end up alone after my kids grow out of the home…but I just can’t get onboard to doing the relationship bit and don’t see that changing anytime soon.”
5. No excitement.
“I’m afraid I don’t know how to get excited about stuff anymore. I can’t really tell my friends or family.
My friends know me as a perpetually happy girl, all smiles and jokes, always there for them when they need support. My family are nice, but will just not be able to help. Nothing is bringing me joy anymore, and I feel like I am steadily losing touch with the world around me.
I try to pursue my hobbies, and I just feel nothing from them anymore. Nothing grabs me and enthralls me with passion anymore. I don’t get excited to game, to read, to lock pick, or even to get out of bed.
I just don’t feel any point in any of it anymore, and there’s no one to tell and nothing to really do about it.”
6. Intense.
“I introduced my friend to the medication I’m pretty sure ultimately killed her, but we have no proof.”
7. At least you’re honest.
“I LOVE the impact the pandemic is having.
I’m sad that people are dying, but as someone who was working myself to the bone or commuting to work being forced to stop everything and spend all my time at home gave me so much more time with my family and doing what I enjoy.
Unemployment is enough that I can survive so suddenly I am financially ok, but without a lot of suffering. I am absolutely dreading having to go back and don’t think I can without dealing with serious impact to my well-being.”
8. A survivor.
“Never told my parents that I had Stage One cancer.
Both were barely sober and would have jumped off the wagon head-first.
The bright side is, the doctor got it all.”
9. Keep moving forward.
“I’m pretty confident that I’m going to die alone and potentially young.
It’s making it hard for me to care about planning for anything in the long-term.”
10. Prison.
“I was s*xually assaulted a few years ago, in prison serving time for a non-violent drug offense.
I’m a guy. I was assaulted by a guy. Maybe r*pe is the proper classification for what transpired.
I have never, and I don’t know that I could ever tell anyone about it.”
11. OH MY GOD.
“I’ve talked my experience before but I was a victim of accidental cannibalism (which means I have eaten human).
The incident involves what I assume was some cartel trying to get rid of bodies by cooking them and serving as food for people to buy. Sweeney Todd style.
I used to love that food until the news came out. Now I have this really incredible story I can’t share with anyone because it’s f*cked up.
And even if I share it who is going to believe it?”
12. Ahhh, don’t worry about it.
“I’m a ‘normal’, educated, successful guy that sometimes like to wear women’s clothes.”
13. Scandalous!
“My sister-in-law’s sister and I hooked up at her bachelorette party. That’s my brother’s wife’s sister if you’re confused.
I’m also a woman so it’s a bit more of a scandal than your usual wedding shenanigans.”
14. Dad.
“My dad had two massive strokes 4 years ago.
He was hospitalized and went through alot of physical and psychological training over the following year. However a large part of his brain had “died”, so he had the mind of a 5 year old.
I still loved him and visited him in the rehabilitation clinic (like a nursing home, but better suited), as often as I could. Every visit was hard, because he wasn’t the same anymore – he often only focused on eating candy, or be annoyed about stuff he felt he was missing (like a new watch or similar).
One day the staff called me, and said that I needed to get some prescription pills, because they didn’t get the delivery from the pharmacy. I had a meeting one hour later, so I got the pills and drove as fast as I could to them.
When I got there, they asked if I wanted to talk to him. “I can’t, I don’t have the time right now. I’ll talk to him tomorrow when I get here”. I think he saw me from his window, as I drove off again.
That night he died.
To this day, I blame myself for not talking to him for just 5 minutes. I was stressed, and I knew it would just be random weird stuff. I don’t know, if he was saddened that I had left, and then just gave up. I’d give anything to get him back.
I can’t tell my mom or sister this. They’d be devastated.”
Now we want to hear from you.
Have you ever had any secrets that you weren’t comfortable telling your friends and family members?
Talk to us about them in the comments!
