25 Surreal Things People Saw That Made Them Question Their Reality
Bizarre things people witnessed that completely defied reality.
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When we see or experience something so strange that it seems to defy reality, our minds quickly dismiss it or scramble to find a logical explanation. These odd encounters can feel unsettling, eerie, and a little bit frightening when we stop to consider what they might mean.
People who’ve gone through such strange phenomena have spent years discussing the “glitch in the matrix” vibe they felt. Yet many are left doubting their own sanity, because truly considering the alternative feels far more overwhelming than just nervously laughing it off and moving on. Today, we explore a series of experiences which Redditors swear are true but that sound like a weird simulation error.
Image source: AlanWakeFeetPics, vad_7
I saw a UFO that matched descriptions that others have reported.
Swimming-Fondant-892 replied: I saw one in the 90s in broad daylight quite high. Even pointed it to a guy working with and he said “yep”. Later I ask him about it and didn’t remember.How do you forget such?
Image source: Maleficent_Cap2240, 60 Minutes
Trump being reelected after everything he’s done. Thought this country would come to their senses and not reelect after he mishandled Covid .
Image source: Sovonna, freepik
For the first time since 2019 I am tubeless. I still need O2 but there are no longer any tubes sticking out of me. No stoma either. Everything is all back inside where it should be.
My health journey isn't over, but being tubeless and being able to eat whatever I want? I never dreamed I could get to this point. It does not feel real.
That medicine fueled spirit journey I had last year when I was hospitalized was crazy insane. Nothing as crazy insane as eating normally again. Now if I could only breathe normally then I could get down to the business of living my life.
Image source: squimble_, EyeEm
The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic working in the ICU. There just aren’t words.
Image source: cody_mf, EyeEm
Surfacing in the Pacific after 96 days underwater during deployment and I was the bridge gunner on watch from sunset till about midnight. Theres tons of bioluminescent plankton that gets churned up by the rooster tail and the water was glass so it reflected the stars with no light pollution whatsoever, only time Ive ever seen the entire milky way and plus its reflection around us and the water behind us glowing with life. absolutely surreal.
Image source: AllNightPony, EyeEm
The methodical dismantling of the United States over the past 10-20 years.
Sauterneandbleu replied: It started with Reagan, continued and worsened by Bush 1, was made slightly better by Clinton, resumed by Bush 2, was reversed made slightly better by Obama, run into the ground by T1, reversed made slightly better by Biden, and in the process of being burned to the ground and turned into a plutocratic autocracy by T2. Are you seeing a pattern there? I got receipts. The Republicans always inherit good things and run them into the ground, and then when the Democrats come along and inherit bad things they fix them, which the Republicans run back into the ground and blame the Democrats for. It all goes back to Reagan. The first of the worst.
Image source: Octavius_Barlow, Inside Edition
I watched a bunch of people in cosplay outfits storm the U.S. Capitol.
Image source: nyclurker369, EyeEm
As an American, pretty much every thing since 2016.
Image source: Savagerparkle, flashmovie
I saw a total solar eclipse and the way the birds just went dead silent and the air turned cold in seconds was honestly the most glitch in the matrix feeling ever.
Image source: library788, bilanol
I saved a child's life before he ran into traffic--literally an oncoming bus. Parent nearby but everyone was looking the other way. No one knows it happened but me and the child (who's most likely forgotten) and the bus driver who had quite an expression on his face. I have never told anyone.
Image source: JudgeHoldenishere2, freepik
I still don't feel alive, sometimes.
A guy blasted at me from about 30 or so meters away with a PKM in Afghanistan. By all rights, he should have cut me in half.
He missed, with about 50 rounds...
I think about that day constantly. How I survived, I'll never know.
I sometimes feel that I am gone, and this is just a dream...
Image source: throwitoutwhendone2, frimages
So I live very rural, my driveway is a mile thru the woods on 50 acres cleared out in the woods. There’s zero light pollution and the sky is magical at night. My daughter, wife and I lay out a lot and just stare at the sky.
Several, several times we have ALL seen a ‘star’ that has done some crazy things. And every time we talk about it with other people they look at us like we are nuts or straight up tell us we don’t see what we all seen. Sometimes makes me second guess my own eyeballs as well as two other sets of eyeballs.
Image source: Cosmicharlie18, EyeEm
Whale calls under water.
BasicallyAmused eplied: I got to ride in a military nuclear submarine years ago as a guest of the lieutenant commander of the sub(I’m not military). One of the coolest things was when we were submerged so deep they couldn’t tell me because it was “classified “, I was hearing these crazy sounds. I was told it was whales. I was so amazed you could hear whales inside the sub! It was a beautiful deep haunting sound I’ll never forget.
Image source: BoldElara92, freepik
Running into the same person in three different cities years apart.
Zman11588 replied: This happened to me once. We rented a house for spring break in Alabama and had parties and I met a guy that was going to the same small Michigan college I was the next year, turned out, we were on the same floor in the same dorm. A year later, I ran into him in Windsor, Ontario Canada.
Blew my mind
Image source: MiserableCalendar416, EyeEm
I was driving through the mountains of PA to a music festival in 2017. Something giant and winged came at me head on and swooped up at the last minute. Logic tells me it was a giant owl and I was exhausted from a long drive, the emotional part of me says it was mothman.
ETA: I had a passenger and we saw the same thing. We were both sober.
Image source: gansi_m, EyeEm
I completely understood the word “unbelievable”‘while standing atop the Cliffs of Moher, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, the Highlands of Scotland while it was raining, Zion’s National Park, and how immense the Ocean really is while on a boat with nothing in sight forever and ever.
But the birth of my children and grandchildren takes the cake. First there’s nothing, then there’s a human being, with his own feelings, thoughts, personality, traits, preferences… just like THAT . Incredible.
Image source: Flangepacket, World War Diggers
I visited Bergen Belsen internment camp (was stationed down the road, British army barracks) and the eerie silence of the place was overwhelming. Surrounded by trees but no birds or anything moving / scurrying around. Silence.
Image source: TinyWeird878, Stefan Hendriks
I saw George W Bush's limo get egged at his 1st inauguration. The crowd was big mad at SCOTUS and everyone was talking about it, that someone should throw an egg. But with all the security around, I was shocked when it actually happened!
Image source: Ok_Wonder_1308, Carol M. Highsmith
Sep 11 - the buildings collapsing.
Image source: Independent_Bit_7084, pvproductions
While waiting to cross the street at a marked crosswalk, I witnessed a truck turn right onto the main street I was waiting to cross. The truck gets hit by a speeding car, pushing it into a metal light poll which fell over and into the corner business’ front window, all while a dog in the front seat of the truck was thrown through the open passenger window, still in a sitting position, and landing on the sidewalk like ‘what the heck’. The scene was something out of a cartoon, and I still can’t believe I witnessed this! Everyone was okay, me and my friend sat with the dog while all the humans involved worked it out.
Image source: mechele99, azerbaijan_stockers
When I was 11 years old. We lived in a rural area of Texas. We had a long oil top drive way, I was waiting for the school bus. My mother always watched me until I was picked up.
A lady with a toddler,turned in to the driveway to ask for directions. As she was backing out into the highway, a man was speeding over the hill and didn’t see her in time.
He hit her car, the car was headed straight for me, I heard my mom yell my name. Something moved me out of the way, I remember the child being knocked forward.
I didn’t have any scratches or anything. My mother spoke with the drivers, no one was injured. I got on the bus and went to school. This occurred in 1979.
Image source: ThisEpiphany, freepik
I was driving, (now) husband in the passenger seat, in the center lane of the highway. It was raining and the car started to hydroplane. The car turned sideways and we were headed straight towards the cement median wall.
In my head I heard, "turn into the skid. Don't brake". I blinked and we were back in the center lane. It suddenly wasn't raining as hard and the highway wasn't as crowded as it had been before we started sliding. I looked at my husband and he yelled, "how did that just happen!?!"
We've been married for 30 years now. Every once in a blue moon one of us brings it up. It's like we're just making sure that it wasn't a dream.
Just typing it out, my hands are sweaty and I realized that I'm clenching my jaw. It still feels so surreal after all these years. I don't know how we didn't crash. We should have hit the wall.
Image source: Delicious_Link6703, freepik
Going from totally fit and fine to having an inflamed gall bladder within an hour, so bad that the surgeon described it as a ‘bag of pus’. Suddenly realising what real pain feels and witnessing how quickly it starts and continues. Fear, knowing 2 close relatives was gone due to this condition.
Surgeon & medical team worked their magic.
Image source: decemberisforcynics, prostooleh
My partner of 10 years cheating on me on christmas day.
This was literally 24 hours ago ?.
Image source: Anxietylife4, rawpixel.com
I had a cardiac arrest in my living room a few months back. Luckily my son noticed and started CPR. My husband started in on it too.
My son and my husband saved my life. I wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t have been there and started as soon as they did.
The ambulance showed up and had to shock me as well.
It doesn’t feel real to me since I don’t remember any of it. But, it did mess with my son to have to experience all of it.
#1
Image source: AlanWakeFeetPics, vad_7
I saw a UFO that matched descriptions that others have reported.
Swimming-Fondant-892 replied: I saw one in the 90s in broad daylight quite high. Even pointed it to a guy working with and he said “yep”. Later I ask him about it and didn’t remember.How do you forget such?
#2
Image source: Maleficent_Cap2240, 60 Minutes
Trump being reelected after everything he’s done. Thought this country would come to their senses and not reelect after he mishandled Covid .
#3
Image source: Sovonna, freepik
For the first time since 2019 I am tubeless. I still need O2 but there are no longer any tubes sticking out of me. No stoma either. Everything is all back inside where it should be.
My health journey isn't over, but being tubeless and being able to eat whatever I want? I never dreamed I could get to this point. It does not feel real.
That medicine fueled spirit journey I had last year when I was hospitalized was crazy insane. Nothing as crazy insane as eating normally again. Now if I could only breathe normally then I could get down to the business of living my life.
#4
Image source: squimble_, EyeEm
The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic working in the ICU. There just aren’t words.
#5
Image source: cody_mf, EyeEm
Surfacing in the Pacific after 96 days underwater during deployment and I was the bridge gunner on watch from sunset till about midnight. Theres tons of bioluminescent plankton that gets churned up by the rooster tail and the water was glass so it reflected the stars with no light pollution whatsoever, only time Ive ever seen the entire milky way and plus its reflection around us and the water behind us glowing with life. absolutely surreal.
#6
Image source: AllNightPony, EyeEm
The methodical dismantling of the United States over the past 10-20 years.
Sauterneandbleu replied: It started with Reagan, continued and worsened by Bush 1, was made slightly better by Clinton, resumed by Bush 2, was reversed made slightly better by Obama, run into the ground by T1, reversed made slightly better by Biden, and in the process of being burned to the ground and turned into a plutocratic autocracy by T2. Are you seeing a pattern there? I got receipts. The Republicans always inherit good things and run them into the ground, and then when the Democrats come along and inherit bad things they fix them, which the Republicans run back into the ground and blame the Democrats for. It all goes back to Reagan. The first of the worst.
#7
Image source: Octavius_Barlow, Inside Edition
I watched a bunch of people in cosplay outfits storm the U.S. Capitol.
#8
Image source: nyclurker369, EyeEm
As an American, pretty much every thing since 2016.
#9
Image source: Savagerparkle, flashmovie
I saw a total solar eclipse and the way the birds just went dead silent and the air turned cold in seconds was honestly the most glitch in the matrix feeling ever.
#10
Image source: library788, bilanol
I saved a child's life before he ran into traffic--literally an oncoming bus. Parent nearby but everyone was looking the other way. No one knows it happened but me and the child (who's most likely forgotten) and the bus driver who had quite an expression on his face. I have never told anyone.
#11
Image source: JudgeHoldenishere2, freepik
I still don't feel alive, sometimes.
A guy blasted at me from about 30 or so meters away with a PKM in Afghanistan. By all rights, he should have cut me in half.
He missed, with about 50 rounds...
I think about that day constantly. How I survived, I'll never know.
I sometimes feel that I am gone, and this is just a dream...
#12
Image source: throwitoutwhendone2, frimages
So I live very rural, my driveway is a mile thru the woods on 50 acres cleared out in the woods. There’s zero light pollution and the sky is magical at night. My daughter, wife and I lay out a lot and just stare at the sky.
Several, several times we have ALL seen a ‘star’ that has done some crazy things. And every time we talk about it with other people they look at us like we are nuts or straight up tell us we don’t see what we all seen. Sometimes makes me second guess my own eyeballs as well as two other sets of eyeballs.
#13
Image source: Cosmicharlie18, EyeEm
Whale calls under water.
BasicallyAmused eplied: I got to ride in a military nuclear submarine years ago as a guest of the lieutenant commander of the sub(I’m not military). One of the coolest things was when we were submerged so deep they couldn’t tell me because it was “classified “, I was hearing these crazy sounds. I was told it was whales. I was so amazed you could hear whales inside the sub! It was a beautiful deep haunting sound I’ll never forget.
#14
Image source: BoldElara92, freepik
Running into the same person in three different cities years apart.
Zman11588 replied: This happened to me once. We rented a house for spring break in Alabama and had parties and I met a guy that was going to the same small Michigan college I was the next year, turned out, we were on the same floor in the same dorm. A year later, I ran into him in Windsor, Ontario Canada.
Blew my mind
#15
Image source: MiserableCalendar416, EyeEm
I was driving through the mountains of PA to a music festival in 2017. Something giant and winged came at me head on and swooped up at the last minute. Logic tells me it was a giant owl and I was exhausted from a long drive, the emotional part of me says it was mothman.
ETA: I had a passenger and we saw the same thing. We were both sober.
#16
Image source: gansi_m, EyeEm
I completely understood the word “unbelievable”‘while standing atop the Cliffs of Moher, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, the Highlands of Scotland while it was raining, Zion’s National Park, and how immense the Ocean really is while on a boat with nothing in sight forever and ever.
But the birth of my children and grandchildren takes the cake. First there’s nothing, then there’s a human being, with his own feelings, thoughts, personality, traits, preferences… just like THAT . Incredible.
#17
Image source: Flangepacket, World War Diggers
I visited Bergen Belsen internment camp (was stationed down the road, British army barracks) and the eerie silence of the place was overwhelming. Surrounded by trees but no birds or anything moving / scurrying around. Silence.
#18
Image source: TinyWeird878, Stefan Hendriks
I saw George W Bush's limo get egged at his 1st inauguration. The crowd was big mad at SCOTUS and everyone was talking about it, that someone should throw an egg. But with all the security around, I was shocked when it actually happened!
#19
Image source: Ok_Wonder_1308, Carol M. Highsmith
Sep 11 - the buildings collapsing.
#20
Image source: Independent_Bit_7084, pvproductions
While waiting to cross the street at a marked crosswalk, I witnessed a truck turn right onto the main street I was waiting to cross. The truck gets hit by a speeding car, pushing it into a metal light poll which fell over and into the corner business’ front window, all while a dog in the front seat of the truck was thrown through the open passenger window, still in a sitting position, and landing on the sidewalk like ‘what the heck’. The scene was something out of a cartoon, and I still can’t believe I witnessed this! Everyone was okay, me and my friend sat with the dog while all the humans involved worked it out.
#21
Image source: mechele99, azerbaijan_stockers
When I was 11 years old. We lived in a rural area of Texas. We had a long oil top drive way, I was waiting for the school bus. My mother always watched me until I was picked up.
A lady with a toddler,turned in to the driveway to ask for directions. As she was backing out into the highway, a man was speeding over the hill and didn’t see her in time.
He hit her car, the car was headed straight for me, I heard my mom yell my name. Something moved me out of the way, I remember the child being knocked forward.
I didn’t have any scratches or anything. My mother spoke with the drivers, no one was injured. I got on the bus and went to school. This occurred in 1979.
#22
Image source: ThisEpiphany, freepik
I was driving, (now) husband in the passenger seat, in the center lane of the highway. It was raining and the car started to hydroplane. The car turned sideways and we were headed straight towards the cement median wall.
In my head I heard, "turn into the skid. Don't brake". I blinked and we were back in the center lane. It suddenly wasn't raining as hard and the highway wasn't as crowded as it had been before we started sliding. I looked at my husband and he yelled, "how did that just happen!?!"
We've been married for 30 years now. Every once in a blue moon one of us brings it up. It's like we're just making sure that it wasn't a dream.
Just typing it out, my hands are sweaty and I realized that I'm clenching my jaw. It still feels so surreal after all these years. I don't know how we didn't crash. We should have hit the wall.
#23
Image source: Delicious_Link6703, freepik
Going from totally fit and fine to having an inflamed gall bladder within an hour, so bad that the surgeon described it as a ‘bag of pus’. Suddenly realising what real pain feels and witnessing how quickly it starts and continues. Fear, knowing 2 close relatives was gone due to this condition.
Surgeon & medical team worked their magic.
#24
Image source: decemberisforcynics, prostooleh
My partner of 10 years cheating on me on christmas day.
This was literally 24 hours ago ?.
#25
Image source: Anxietylife4, rawpixel.com
I had a cardiac arrest in my living room a few months back. Luckily my son noticed and started CPR. My husband started in on it too.
My son and my husband saved my life. I wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t have been there and started as soon as they did.
The ambulance showed up and had to shock me as well.
It doesn’t feel real to me since I don’t remember any of it. But, it did mess with my son to have to experience all of it.DE
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