Anonymous Venting for Mental Health and Emotional Support

With my mom I don't feel seen, I don't feel heard, I just want it to end. I can't stand this pain, no one gets it, I'm so ready to end it, she doesn't care, I know she doesn't. I want to cry but that doesn't help, I want to scream but I can't, I need a rage room but that didn't help, I want the pain to go away, I want it to stop, to leave me alone, but deep down, I know it won't, It'll keep coming back, it won't stop, it keeps coming and coming and I'm so tired. Nobody is really there for me, because people have their own lives. I just want someone that I can cry into, that will hold me, and I don't have that. And that's my problem. I need that, but inside I know I won't get it. And it sucks, It sucks not feeling safe enough to show feelings without getting yelled at. I'm so tired. I just want it to end. I want it to be over. I want someone to love me. I want to be someone's first priority. not second, not third, first. And I cry myself to sleep, knowing that'll never happen. I'm empty

I graduate hs next year and career paths I’ve seriously got nothing.. not even career just some way to make money to survive. Like with what people are saying about the job market wonder how it will be when I start actually looking for one. Ok I just want to complain about all these requirements bro volunteering, so many years of experience. Like ok fine we need jobs etc. but all this stress in just getting one. Bro. I personally would say I’m into creative stuff, arts etc. about last year ive been trying to get into graphic design. Lwk I was thinking of possibly doing them as my way of making money, business/career/wtv but i saw something like you kinda tie your self worth into how much money you make and that can be not very good for your mental health. And I genuinely understand I’m trying to make my designs really good and worth a possible commission n it stresses me out. But when I do it for fun (which was prob about 12 hrs ago) it was enjoyable. Same with art. Rn I’m making a comic not to make money or anything but bc I want to + love the characters and it’s been so fun!! Well a little stressed about making my drawings look good yk? So yh I understand when I see ‘don’t make you hobbies your job’ but then what? I want to move out of my parents house as soon as I can. But when will that be? I started thinking about jobs that people will need no matter what, food production, healthcare, n I’m assuming u gonna need some degree for it, n don’t get me started on those bro. So no I won’t. But I’ve always heard the phrase money = solving problems, so what problem do needs solving? But how can that work. Like with the creative stuff I was planning like I could potentially give myself an opportunity not hsve to wait around for some company to call back. So how will that work w whst people actually need bc theres prob a bunch? Ughh this is genuinely so tiring. This show will I believe my last summer where I’m still in mandatory school next summer I’m free(but of course post secondary) I’m nervous but also excited about that but idk man. Well this is lek just a rant

man, i’m 29 years old, and you’d think by now i’d have figured out how to handle my emotions like a pro. but nooooo, here i am with the emotional capacity of a teenage soap opera character. one minute i'm just doing my thang, y’know, cleaning the apartment like some unpaid maid, 'cause for real, my boyfriend is no help whatsoever. the dude’s living in a parallel universe where dishes clean themselves and laundry folds itself magically.🙄 and when i get mad, do i calmly rationalize and use my words? hell no! instead, my eyes well up with tears like i’m cutting onions. it's like my tear ducts are on autopilot the moment i feel even a smidge pissed off.

it’s like, come on girl, what’s wrong with me? i wanna scream at the top of my lungs like “yo dude, pick up a mop once in a while, yeah? it's not rocket science!” but instead my voice chokes, and i’m wiping my cheeks with my sleeves. 🤦‍♀️ it's like i need a tactical debrief before i can discuss anything serious. i’ve googled it a million times: “why do i cry when i get mad?” and it seems i’m not alone with this emotional malfunction. i read somewhere that it's 'cause of frustration or something...my body just doesn’t know how to handle it and my brain’s like, "yeah let’s add some tears, it'll make it even more dramatic." people say you're supposed to breathe deeply and count to ten, but ain't nobody got time for that when you’re neck-deep in dirty dishes.

seriously tho, why does my emotional system double-cross me? maybe it's because as a kid every argument ended with me in tears, so now it's just, like, ingrained or some sh*t? i try having civil convos with my boyfriend, but there i am, puddle of tears again. my emotional intelligence needs a user manual, someone help a girl out! how do people, like, confront without Niagara Falls happening on their face? i’m trapped in a cycle and it's like, what's the point even, if i just end up apologizing for the waterworks rather than fixing the problem? someone drop me some wisdom bombs here... has crying ever got ya out of doing chores? 🤔 'cause if it hasn’t, then maybe i need a new strategy.....

I’m 53 now, and I still remember the day I found out like it was yesterday, even though it was 20 years ago. My husband cheated on me, and I found out in the most boring, stupid way possible, a phone bill left on the kitchen counter. No dramatic lipstick on a collar, no movie scene. Just numbers I didn’t know and a weird feeling in my stomach that would not go away. I asked him, and he tried to dodge it at first, then he cried. I cried harder. Back then I thought cheating meant the marriage was instantly dead, like someone had shut off the lights forever.

For a long time, I didn’t forgive him. I stayed in the house, cooked dinner, drove the kids to school, smiled at neighbors, and hated him quietly. I felt stupid for staying;

But life is not always as clean as people on the outside want it to be. We had two children, a mortgage, and 15 years of history at that point. I loved him, even when I wanted to throw his clothes in the street. What helped me was not pretending it was fine. We went to counseling. He gave me passwords, answered ugly questions, and took my anger without acting like he was the victim. That mattered.

Forgiveness, in my opinion, is not saying “what you did was okay.” It is more like saying, “I don’t want this pain to own me forever.” I forgave him slowly, almost by accident. One morning he brought me coffee before I woke up, like he used to. Another time he sat with me in the car while I cried after dropping our daughter at college. Little by little, I saw he was trying to be a better man, not just a man who got caught. Have you ever wanted to forgive someone but felt like doing it meant betraying yourself?

Today we are still married. Not perfect, not some magical love story, but real. He knows he broke something that never went back exactly the same, and I know I became stronger than I thought I could be. I don’t think everyone should stay after cheating. Sometimes leaving is the healthiest forgiveness you can give yourself. But for me, forgiveness was possible because he changed, and because I chose peace over carrying poison in my chest. At 53, I can say my heart healed. It has scars, sure, but scars are also proof you survived.

I just feel stuck, I feel like I'm not taking control of my life and I'm shaming myself for it which doesn't help but I also feel too lazy to even take control of my life. When I mean take control, I mean I need to stop doing whatever for my parents to keep the peace because it doesn't help me at all, feels like I'm just slowly dying and not fulfilling anything lately. I don't have anyone to talk to, I did try to make friends online but I haven't met anyone that I would consider a friend friend. Plus after a day or even days, I have a hard habit of assuming that people secretly hate me and have no interest so I try and end it. I didn't know this still alive until I noticed I did it again.

I was finally able to get a doctor but I didn't get to talk about how I'm feeling and that I need a therapist, that I'm trans. I actually found out a feminist clinic that caters but idk how I didn't find it before with the amount of searching I did before.

I'm just confused about my emotions, I feel fine and happy sometimes but I also have a bunch of stuff, it just lurks, what I mean is parents that don't like queer people, next steps. It's a reason I'm in no rush, when I feel happy or fine then I assume that I am and then feel overdramatic for trying to get ready to get away from my family as quick as possible.

My parents are toxic people yet feel normal sometimes and if you're feeling and having good times with them, then next you involve your feelings then it's gonna hurt you. When I noticed this when I was younger, I detached to all the interactions because I knew they'll be nice but eventually they'll make you cry over something stupid, make you feel unloved. I don't know how to describe what it's like to live in a house where everything feels normal and you start to feel normal and forget that it's actually not because the people inside the home don't know you and if they ever did then they would hate you. When it's been years, you just forget, they'll keep addressing you how they wanna address you and dress you up how they wanna dress you up and then get angry at you for not enjoying it, and the whole time you'll just feel like your dying. You don't notice until it happens again.

I notice I go through that cycle. I watched the film "I saw the TV glow" at 16 and I watched it again recently. It does fill me with dread and it reminds me that I'm not even living and not even as me.

I have things or goals I could do but I don't, I don't even feel any way about them, I just know they'll be helpful. Driving for example. I just wish I could go back to where I was happy and pretty content with life.

I graduate high school next week, family is doing this big thing. I seen that one of my favorite bands is actually going to the place I'll be around the same time, I wish I could go to that instead. I'm in desperate need of the type of music they make.

Anywho, thanks to anyone who read this and have a great thing! 💖 Anything is appreciated.

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.

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.

Got lots of love to give but no one wants to have it. They want the toxic ones.

I never thought I’d end up here, but here I am, dreading every single morning when my alarm goes off. I hate my job. There, I said it. I’ve tried to convince myself that it’s just a phase, that everyone feels like this sometimes, but it’s been almost a year, and nothing’s changed. If anything, it’s gotten worse.

The work itself isn’t even that bad. I mean, it’s not what I’m passionate about, but it’s tolerable. The real problem is the people. My boss is one of those micro-managers who has to be involved in every tiny detail. No matter what I do, it’s never good enough. I’ll spend hours on a project, only for them to nitpick and make me redo the whole thing for no real reason. It’s exhausting and makes me feel like all my effort is pointless.

Then there’s the office culture—or lack of it. Nobody talks to each other unless it’s about work. Lunch breaks feel like detention, with everyone silently eating at their desks or scrolling through their phones. I tried to make friends when I first started, but everyone already seemed to have their little cliques. After a while, I just gave up.

What really gets to me, though, is the constant pressure. It’s like they expect us to give 110% all the time, but they don’t give anything back. Overtime is practically mandatory, but don’t expect a “thank you” or even acknowledgment for staying late. And forget about a raise or promotion—that’s a pipe dream. It’s hard not to feel bitter when you’re working so hard and getting nothing in return.

I keep telling myself I should just quit, but it’s not that simple. I’ve got bills to pay, and the job market isn’t exactly booming right now. Plus, there’s this tiny voice in the back of my head that keeps asking, “What if the next job is just as bad—or worse?” It’s like I’m stuck in this cycle where I hate my job, but I’m too scared to leave.

Even at home, I can’t seem to escape it. I’m constantly checking emails or stressing about the next deadline. It’s like my job has taken over my entire life, and I don’t know how to take it back. My family keeps telling me to just hang in there, but they don’t understand how draining it is. By the end of the day, I’m too tired to even think about applying for other jobs, let alone pursuing something I actually enjoy.

Sometimes, I wonder if it’s me. Maybe I’m just not cut out for this kind of work. Or maybe I’m being ungrateful because at least I have a job. But then I think about how miserable I am, and I can’t help but feel like there has to be more to life than this. Doesn’t there?

If anyone else feels this way, I’d love to know how you’re coping—or if you’ve managed to get out, how did you do it? Right now, I just feel stuck, and honestly, it’s hard to see a way forward. All I know is, I can’t keep living like this. Something’s gotta give.