Anonymous venting

It’s honestly one of the hardest things to talk about, and I didn’t really understand it until it happened to my best friend. Her dog, Luna, passed away two weeks ago, and I swear I’ve never seen her so heartbroken. Like full-on crying for days, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, barely wanted to talk to anyone. At first I didn’t even know what to say. I mean, what do you say when someone loses a pet that meant everything to them? People always act like it’s “just a dog” or “just a cat” but to the person who lost them, it’s like losing family. And Luna was family to her. She grew up with that dog. They did everything together—walks after school, cuddles on the couch, even birthday photos. So yeah, when Luna died, it was like something huge went missing from her world, and all I could think was, “I hope I don’t say the wrong thing.”

I made the mistake of googling stuff first, trying to find the perfect words. But all the suggestions online felt so cold or fake. Stuff like “she’s in a better place” or “at least she’s not suffering anymore.” I didn’t wanna say those things. They felt empty. So instead, I just told her I was sorry, and that I was there if she wanted to talk—or not talk. I let her cry without trying to fix it. I didn’t push her to go out or “cheer up.” I think sometimes people try too hard to take away the pain, but the truth is, grief needs time. Whether it's for a human or an animal, loss is loss. So I sat with her, even if we just stared at the wall or watched TV in silence. I brought her favorite snack and let her tell me stories about Luna, even the ones I’d heard a hundred times.

And honestly, I think that helped more than any fancy words could. Just being there, showing you care without making it about you or trying to make the sadness go away. That’s what I’ve learned so far—when someone loses a pet, you don’t need to come with a perfect speech. You just need to show up with love and patience. Let them grieve in their own way. One of the only things I did say that felt right was, “She was lucky to have you.” And my friend cried even more when I said that, but not in a bad way. I think it helped her know that Luna’s life was full of love, and that she gave her dog the best she could. That kinda thing matters. Sometimes we blame ourselves, thinking maybe we could’ve done more. So hearing someone else say “you did good” can really make a difference.

Now that it’s been a little while, she’s still sad, but it’s not as heavy as before. She’s started smiling again, even laughing sometimes. I think she’s gonna be okay, but I know she’ll always miss Luna. And that’s okay too. Pets aren’t just pets. They’re companions, comfort, joy, and unconditional love all rolled into one. Losing them is real grief, and it deserves real compassion. So if you’re ever in that position, where someone you care about has lost their furry best friend—just be gentle. Say you’re sorry, listen more than you talk, and don’t rush them to move on. Grief isn’t a straight line, and love doesn’t end just because someone is gone. Whether they barked, purred, or squeaked—if they were loved, they mattered. And that’s all anyone needs to hear.

brooo my mom keeps hitting me with a cord and I'm so sick of it, shes genuinely insane. When she chases me to hit my I usually run out and hide in the neighborhood, and my mom is psycho that she calls the police on me, what devastated me is that when I told my story to the police they didn't believe me over my mother and asked irrelevant questions about substance abuse and gangs and stuff, and just believed everything my mom twisted even though I said to them that she twists words and lies often. I think its funny bcz later my mom panicked and was all quiet like "idk what to do" then an hour later she completely switched up and saying stuff literally like "I have I right to hit my child!!"

"This little brat can't do shit to me or my job!!"

and thankfully I hid well enough in the closet (behind the long hanging dresses) that she couldn't find me because I was afraid she would beat tf out of me just for being angry again.

The fact that I actually believed the police would do anything is so pathetic

If there's one thing I learned from this whole experience is that police don't give a shit about their duties and will always believe the parent over the child. wanna know why? this happened before too!

The last time I ran out the house from her chasing me and I brought her home key (forgot to mention that when I run out, she locks the door so I cant come back in until the morning)

and she called the police on me for that.

I explained to the police that I took the key so that I wouldn't have to be stuck out there when most days was like 20 degrees and/or windy and cold. and even though I told him all that, they seriously made me give back the house key (there are three, so it's not like she needs all of them), AND give away my hiding spots for the key to my mother.

I fucking hate these people.

I told them the truth but why would they believe me?

I'm just another spoiled kid who has bad behaviors

except I'm not. I have straight a's in dual credit classes and honor classes planning to get associates by high school graduation and my English teacher even said I could be valedictorian if I attended any clubs or extra curriculars, except little do they know, their English special education teacher/coworker is a lot more fucking neglectful and insane than they think and love to say that "she simply doesn't want to go", bitch I asked and you say yes and then switch up last second every single time, I ask every possible chance, it gets so bad when I give some club advisors false answers, and I have to make up some dumb excuse like "My mom said she cant afford the gas". It gets so fucking annoying.

Not only that, but yesterday she literally threw my shoes away. YES, MY SHOES. Because she didn't like that I kept "leaving the house at night" (what she tells the police and everyone else, just straight lie) in reality, I'm literally being chased by you in that moment, when you are screaming with a cord, and sometimes some random object. Sorry, but I'm not staying in the house with a psycho like you that literally BROKE MY NOSE BEFORE?!?!?! fuck nah get me out of this crazy household T-T.

It gets so tiring.

You might be wondering, where's the father? Long story short, my mom kicked him out for being "lazy" (he did all the chores and I'm just now realizing how much he was working for all of us) and divorced him. making up bullcrap and acting all scared as if he's some kind of villain, "he's gonna take our house and leave us on the street" like omg stfu, ur not no victim. And I recently realized that shes been lying and msging that I hate him and want to keep living with my mother. I can't even text my dad and have to rely on my moms texts because my mom took away all my electronics and I don't know my dads email even If I had access to gmail during school. We moved like 40 minutes (driving) away, so even if I knew his address, I couldn't walk for 5-6 hours without getting lost.

OK that's it for this rant, just needed to get this off my chest ;-;

digital marketing. Selling digital products. Like ok that lek sounds easy BUT WHEREEEEE like I was signing up for one but it don’t have PayPal TFF U MEAN???? like I was having so many creative ideas too like ahhhg why like I need somewhere where I can sell ANYTHING AND CAN USE PAYPAL FOR MY STUFF and that web looked so promising 💔 until the stuff they said werent pro were pro?

Like genuinely bro wtf is wrong with me . Today was going great then I binged ☹️ like honestly this happens so much so way tmr I’ll do better and im not better. Like genuinely if I HAD JUST STARTED LITERALLY EVERYTHING IN JAN BROOO MY BODY WOULD HAVE BEEN TEA

I’m a freshman in high and I don’t know how to make friends. Yeah I have 2 friends who came with me from middle school but one is a soccer player that everyone knows and my other friend is my bestfriend. Don’t get me wrong I talk to her but I have few classes with her. And idk how she does it but she gets along with people and has friends here and there. We also don’t talk much after school. And trust me I text but she’s always on dnd. Walking through the hallways I always feel lonely. Seeing people in big groups, the girls who hang in the bathroom and make TikTok’s. I tried talking to people in classes but like after that classes it like they don’t talk to me anymore.. only in that class. And yes, I already tried small talk, the “you look pretty today”.. all of that. I just don’t know what’s wrong with..

Hey everyone, I’m not usually one to air my personal stuff, but I really need some advice here. For the past few months, I’ve had this gut feeling that my wife might be cheating on me, and it's eating me alive. I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but the signs are starting to pile up, and I’m just not sure what to do.

It all started when she began staying late at work more often. At first, I didn’t think much of it—she’s always been dedicated to her job. But then, she became super protective of her phone. She used to leave it lying around, but now she keeps it close and seems to be on it all the time, even at odd hours. And when I casually ask about her day, her answers feel...vague? Like she’s hiding something.

Then there are the little things. She started dressing up more than usual, even just to “run errands” or meet friends. It’s almost like she’s trying to impress someone. I’ve tried to brush it off, telling myself I’m being paranoid, but every time I bring it up, she gets defensive or says I’m just being insecure. It makes me feel like maybe I’m overthinking, but part of me feels like my concerns are valid.

To make things worse, I found a receipt for a fancy dinner that she said was a "work thing," but I know her company usually doesn’t do dinners like that. I keep second-guessing myself, and now I’m stuck in this loop of anxiety. I don’t want to accuse her without solid proof, but I also can’t keep living in this uncertainty.

So here I am, asking for advice. Has anyone else been through this? How do you confront someone you love without it turning into a huge fight? Should I even bring it up again, or am I just being paranoid? Any advice would be appreciated—I feel like I’m losing my mind here.

For the longest time, I’ve been stuck in this cycle of excuses. I’d wake up every morning telling myself I’d make changes, that today would be different, but by the time the day ended, I was back to square one. Whether it’s eating healthier, exercising, or even just cleaning my space, I keep putting it off. I’d tell myself, "I’ll start tomorrow," but tomorrow never seems to come.

Yesterday was my breaking point. I was scrolling through social media and saw an old friend post about running their first marathon. I remember how we used to run together, how much I loved it back then. And now? I can’t even jog up the stairs without feeling winded. It hit me like a ton of bricks—what am I even doing with my life? Why do I keep finding reasons to avoid what I know I need to do?

I looked around my apartment after that. Clothes piled up on the floor, dishes in the sink from who-knows-how-many days ago, and a gym membership card collecting dust on the counter. That’s when it finally clicked—it’s time to stop. It’s time to stop avoiding the hard stuff, time to stop pretending everything will fix itself, and time to stop being my own worst enemy.

I don’t have a perfect plan yet, and honestly, I’m scared I’ll slip back into my old habits. But I know I can’t keep going like this. If I don’t make a change now, when will I? Maybe writing this out will help me stay accountable. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you’re feeling stuck too, maybe it’s time to stop and take the first step. We’ve got this.

I've come to the harsh realization that perhaps, I'm not the nicest person around. In my mid-thirties, I find myself surrounded only by a single friend and a girlfriend, yet I can't shake the feeling that I'm somehow superior to others. My lifestyle is quite reclusive; I shy away from any social gatherings related to work, and most of my routine revolves around my job, hitting the gym, smoking weed, and cycling. Traveling and cycling in the forest are my escapes, the rare times I don't feel swamped by depression.

Interacting with people, especially in groups, is a daunting task for me. The fear of turning red-faced and being judged negatively is always lurking. Thus, I avoid such situations altogether. There's a worrisome intensity in the way I live; I indulge too often in alcohol or getting high, viewing people merely as elements that enhance my own existence. My eyes wander too freely, admiring every attractive woman I come across, often blatantly flirting in the presence of my girlfriend. Even though these thoughts are never vocalized, I often catch myself belittling others or feeling utter disdain towards them internally.

I confess to being a staunch atheist, holding a disdainful view towards those who are spiritually inclined, believing myself to be smarter, better-looking, and stronger. The resentment builds whenever I see someone possessing what I desire, although I manage to keep this anger bottled up within.

Dominating these emotions is a profound sense of isolation, mixed oddly with a perverse comfort in wallowing in my misery. Sometimes, hurting my own feelings seems like a twisted form of pleasure, perhaps because it means feeling something at all.

My family background does little to lighten my outlook. My brother lives with the dark shadow of being a murderer and a former heroin addict. My father was a violent man, devoid of emotions, who ultimately took his own life. My mother, afflicted by illness so severe that she has been bedridden since my childhood, sparks a guilt within me for not taking care of her. However, I've chosen a path of self-preservation as dedicating myself to her care would consume my own existence entirely.

This life I've crafted for myself is one I despise, yet a part of me feels I shouldn't. With a good education, a well-paying job, and an undeniable appeal to women, I should feel fulfilled. Instead, I’m left feeling empty and, frankly, disgusted with myself for sounding like a self-pitying fool. What the hell is wrong with me?

Despite my efforts not to belittle others overtly, the impression that people don’t like me is hard to shake off. Loneliness is a constant companion.

If I were to join a reality show, my character might be polarizing. Would the audience appreciate my brutally honest introspections, or would they be repelled by my self-confessed arrogance and emotional detachment? It's intriguing yet terrifying to ponder how my persona would unfold under the constant scrutiny of cameras and a public audience.

I chose the friendship stories category but yeah it's related to friendship, love, family, work... I am like that.

I grew up in a very religious family where our faith has always guided our lives and choices. The teachings I’ve known my whole life tell me that being gay is wrong, and yet, I feel these undeniable attractions that make me question everything. I’ve tried to push it down, to change, to pray it away, but it’s always there, a part of me I can’t ignore.

I don’t know how to reconcile my beliefs with who I am. It feels like every day, I’m torn between two worlds: the expectations of my family and faith, and the reality of my own heart. Am I wrong for feeling this way? Is this something I can change, or should I even try? I’ve heard so many opinions, but deep down, I just want to know if I can truly be at peace with both my faith and myself.

If anyone has gone through something similar, or if you have advice, I’d really appreciate hearing from you. I feel so lost and alone in this struggle, and I just need someone to help me see a way through this.

Being a mom is the most rewarding and terrifying thing I’ve ever done. My little girl is only two years old, but every single day, I find myself wondering: am I doing enough? How to be a good mother when it feels like there’s so much to figure out?

Some days, I feel like I’m nailing it. We play together, she laughs at my silly songs, and I can see how happy she is. But then there are moments when I feel like I’m completely failing. Like yesterday, when I lost my temper because she spilled juice on the carpet after I told her three times not to run around with her cup. She cried, and it broke my heart because all I could think about was, “What kind of mom yells at a two-year-old over juice?”

I read parenting blogs and watch videos on how to raise happy, confident kids, but it’s overwhelming. There’s so much advice out there, and half of it feels contradictory. Be strict, but not too strict. Let them explore, but set boundaries. Make healthy meals, but don’t stress if they eat nuggets and fries once in a while. I’m trying to do it all, but is that even possible?

I see other moms who seem to have it all together—perfectly dressed kids, Pinterest-worthy lunches, and spotless homes. Meanwhile, I’m just proud if I can get her to daycare on time with matching socks. Sometimes, I wonder if they’re struggling too and just hiding it better.

I love my daughter more than anything, and I want her to grow up feeling loved, supported, and safe. But how do I know if I’m doing it right? Is there some magic formula on how to be a good mother, or is it just about showing up every day and doing your best?

If anyone has advice or has felt this way too, I’d love to hear it. I’m trying so hard, but some days it feels like I’m just fumbling through.