30 People Anonymously Confess The Biggest Secrets They're Keeping From Everybody

Did you know that keeping secrets can actually be harmful to you? As humans, we repeatedly tend to mind-wander to secrets we keep, which can be mentally exhausting. Further research also suggests that this mind-wandering can make us feel isolated and alone. Perhaps that's precisely what Paul Tournier meant when he said, "Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets"? Everyone has personal reasons for keeping certain things to themselves, and that's their choice. However, don't let those things take a toll on your well-being. There are ways to take a load off one's mind and chest. For example, anonymously share secrets with strangers online. This is precisely what thousands of people did in these two (1,2) very honest and eye-opening threads on Reddit. More info: Reddit (1,2)

#1

My friend's sexual assault. She knows what happened to her was wrong, but doesn't want it to get out and would rather simply go to therapy then also pressing charges. She doesn't want it getting out so I have to keep this dark secret no matter how much I want that a*****e to rot in jail Image source: Rexermus, Liza Summer

#2

Image source: Abisoccer1, LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR I’m in a grad program. I’m pretty close with three people in my cohort. One of the guys in our little group has been acting weird this semester. I got him to tell me what’s wrong. He told me he has cancer and will most likely die within a year. He asked me not to tell anyone. The other two friends in my group just think he’s going on medical leave and will be returning. They think it’s because he’s depressed since he didn’t specify exactly what was wrong. They have no idea that they may never see him again. I want to tell them, but he asked me not to... I feel awful about it.

#3

Image source: Rocket-Tree, Willian Justen de Vasconcellos That the scars on my arm are from my cat. I can't believe that my parents bought the idea that the five parallel white scars are from my cat.

#4

Image source: RonenJon, Nathan Dumlao I'm soon to be homeless.

#5

Image source: bad_anima, Dainis Graveris I went on a girls trip last summer with my best friend, and she cheated on her boyfriend. She immediately regretted it and is still with her boyfriend but I've never told anyone.

#6

Image source: Namsewell, Dmitry Schemelev My depression hasn’t actually gotten any better and if anything has gotten worse. I felt so f*****g guilty any time I’d talk to one of my friends about the way I feel, and I couldn’t take it anymore. So now they all think I’m doing a lot better and I don’t know what to do with myself Edit: I should also mention I lost my job at the start of the year and due to that no longer have money or insurance and can’t afford therapy or my prescription anymore. Thanks for all the advice and well wishes

#7

Image source: MUURPHH, Dzenina Lukac I joke a lot to family and friends but I’m genuinely worried about my alcohol consumption. I want to say I’m in like a pre-alcoholic state. I’m in the Military but I enjoyed drinking even before I joined. I drink on average either 10-15 beers or 3-4 glasses of straight fireball (which is about 3/4 of a liter). And that is every single day. 7 days a week. Before the night starts to come I’m always wondering if I have enough alcohol and plan accordingly. I do everything I need to do in my job and personal life (Girlfriend, Family, ETC). But, I like drinking more than I have a desire to stop. And I’m not sure where that’s going to lead me.

#8

Image source: hybridHelix, Kyle I'm trans & I'm starting HRT on Jan 2. No one knows this yet but my husband & 3 of my close friends. My family is near 100% unlikely to be cool about this and I was looking forward to having one last birthday/Christmas with them where they didn't know/reject me yet, but I got a virus on my birthday and now I'm way too sick to get on a plane. So essentially my last Christmas with a family that loves me got straight up canceled. I'm super bummed, but way too sick & tired to have a nervous breakdown about it, so I've got that going for me at least.

#9

Image source: Edgar_Allen_Swol, Abhijith P My girlfriend of three years just broke up with me right after Thanksgiving. My parents expected her to come visit for the holidays but I told them that she is spending Christmas with her family this year.

#10

Image source: Kickinpuppies, Raíssa Letícia That the operations manager at my work who is a c**t to the core (her name is actually Karen, shocker) is under investigation for several incidents that should hopefully get that snake canned. Also, I was the one in 10th grade that accidentally s**t my pants in class and those were my boxers in the trashcan in the bathroom.

#11

Image source: warboy3, Camylla Battani My buddy is planning on leaving his wife, mostly because he found out that his kid isn't actually his, and he suspects the one she's pregnant with isn't either.

#12

Image source: reyemanivad When I finish typing this I'm going to get up and pack my things and leave this mother f**ker.

#13

Image source: firewalker9643, Aaron Burden My high school best friend was gay, and sleeping with a man that was 15 years older, had a wife and four kids, and was in the leadership of the local church for most of high school and a while after.

#14

Image source: TitoGarciaa, Cody Black Well suppose I can't keep it to myself forever right. And for the record I know what I'm doing makes me (I should say us) a horrible person. My high school sweetheart of 5 years, we broke up back in 2012. A mutual breakup. We were madly in love together and still madly in love after the breakup. Our relationship is very f*cked let's put it that way. We did part ways until about 2017 until we started talking again. However, the difference this time was is that she actually got married to someone else during that time. But her and I clicked together so well that we immediately started dating again. Yes, she's married and has a boyfriend (me). No, her husband is completely unaware. We're both perfectly aware what we're doing is wrong. We've both agreed to meet each other in hell when the time comes.

#15

Image source: paradoxicly, Christopher Campbell I've relapsed with my anorexia. I ate 626 calories today and burned 394. I'm going to see a doctor tomorrow because I've convinced everyone I'm tired, bruising easily, and having joint pain because I might have Lyme again, but deep inside I know it is probably my body struggling to stay alive. Doctors told me if I relapsed as bad as I was, my body probably wouldn't be able to handle it again. I have a resting heartrate in the low 50s currently, and it my heartrate drops as low as 40 randomly during the day. I feel like I'm going to pass out nearly every time I stand up. Burning off those calories tonight, I was literally doubled over, gasping for air, hands on my knees trying to not fall as the ground seemed to keep rushing up to my face, covered in growing black spots. I know I've relapsed. I know this could kill me. But it's not enough for me to overcome the messed up part of my brain that says "at least you'll die thinner."

#16

Image source: Anonymous_personss, Jakob Owens That I’ve been hallucinating, I don’t really know why I’ve talked to some people over the internet about it and they said it could be because of my anti-depressants but it started before I started taking it. If it is my meds I don’t want to be taken off of them since hallucinations are a sign of overdose. I have an IEP in school and will be starting college soon something that my family is worried about the idea of me going to college. The hallucinations are getting worse and I’m afraid that if I tell a therapist they’ll tell my family. It’s one of my biggest fears is losing touch with reality. The reason I take a high dose of antidepressants is that my depression was getting worse and the doctor recommended it. I just want to go back to normal.

#17

Image source: letmebeyoursalad, David Clode My daughter's pet Beta Fish, Pinky, is not the original Pinky. In fact, this is Pinky #9.

#18

Image source: iHmajed, Levi Meir Clancy I am an Atheist in Saudi Arabia and no one knows.

#19

Image source: nonbi3, Viktorya Sergeeva I was sexually assaulted as a high schooler and still blame myself.

#20

Image source: theBluebird64, Renate Vanaga My parents don’t know I’m gay. If they found out I’d end up homeless.

#21

Image source: CichaelMlifford, Milada Vigerova That, even though I'm still quite young, I've been in two pretty abusive relationships. I love my current boyfriend more than words can describe and I'm so lucky to have him but I sometimes catch myself falling back into old habits when I'm around him (apologizing way too much for even the smallest things, frequently asking if he's okay, not eating properly for days because I have phases in which I just feel ugly, flinching when he touches me unexpectedly etc.). I will tell him eventually because he deserves to know but I'm just not ready yet and I want to work on myself first so I'm not too much of a burden to him.

#22

Image source: ch2-ch3, Anthony Tran I really do care about it that much but I'm 29 and still a virgin. I was raised super religious so dating was out of question. I started losing my faith when I was 23 ( another secret.) I feel like I'm so far behind when it come to dating that I never really found the courage to even ask anyone out.

#23

Image source: ctgrell, Mike Petrucci That I was a kleptomaniac. Sometimes I still feel the urge to steal something but now I can stop myself.

#24

Image source: PartyPo1s0n, Dương Hữu That despite being really really happy and satisfied in my current relationship, I still have feelings for my ex. The worst part is that my current GF is really awesome and I love spending time with her but I’m scared that my feelings for my ex are keeping me from fully committing.

#25

Image source: AlphaGirl404, Ben White I have a bad case of intrusive thoughts.

#26

Image source: nondescript_human_01, i yunmai I haven't let a photo of myself be taken in years because I gained a bunch of weight. So people that haven't seen me in years still think I'm thin. I've actually lost 23 pounds and I can't be excited and tell anyone I haven't seen in a long time because then they'll know I was fat.

#27

Image source: osteomiss, Thirdman I have a chronic illness and I'm making myself worse by staying in the workforce. It will not get better. But I get so much of my identity from my career that I just can't leave it yet. I have a lot of self judgment, which I would hold against absolutely no one else.

#28

Image source: ewanmcgregorisgod My family doesn’t know I walked out of my job nearly four weeks ago. I had two solid interviews that fell through afterwards and I’m still looking. I think I’ll get a call back after the job interview I had today. I’m too embarrassed to tell them because I don’t want anymore financial help from them. I’m late on rent and broke. The last time I went to my mom’s house I stole a couple rolls of toilet paper...

#29

Image source: we-dge, Marco Verch Professional Photographer I have an IUD and I just found out I am pregnant. F**k.

#30

Image source: The_Don23 I've found out my sister has had a baby and not told anyone in my family, she doesn't know I found out.