Personal Experiences, Struggles and Setbacks Around Health

Health and wellbeing rarely improve in a straight line. In these stories, people share what they went through while trying to take care of their body or their mind: a fitness routine that didn't hold, a diet that backfired, a recovery that took longer than expected, a complicated relationship with their appearance, or simply the exhaustion of trying to do everything right.

Some stories are about setbacks and frustration, others about small victories. Many ask the same question: is it just me? Reading how others lived a similar situation can make it feel less isolating, and sharing your own can help you put words on it.

These stories are personal experiences and opinions, not medical advice. For a health problem, a doctor or another qualified professional remains the right person to talk to.

Been through something similar? Share your own story or read the most discussed stories.

What does it mean when you fall in your dream?
Health and Wellbeing Stories

yo, so i've been havin’ these wild dreams where i'm fallin’ every freakin’ night. like, what even is that??! i wake up feelin’ all messed up and confused..... it's not cool at all! the weird thing is it's always the same: i'm standin’ on some stupid cliff or top of a building and then boom!!! i’m fallin’. i don't know…

how to stop being paranoid?
Health and Wellbeing Stories

moving to a new house has got me on edge. every little noise at night shoots my fears up sky high. i never thought such trivial sounds could mess with my head this hard. it feels like i'm constantly looking over my shoulder just waiting for something to happen, even when everything's totally chill. maybe it's just the…

Why do i think so much?
Health and Wellbeing Stories

ever find yourself replaying the same conversation in your head over and over? like, why does this happen? last night i couldn't sleep because of something a coworker casually said. it was just a simple comment but man did it stick with me. ive been thinking, is this normal or do i just overthink every little thing?…

food ocd
Health and Wellbeing Stories

yo, so i got this thing with organizing my pantry, right? every single night i'm going all in, obsessing over this junk. like, seriously checking expiration dates on everything and making sure that every label is facing forward. it's just messing up my sleep and dude, my roommates are getting real tired of it. not…

Stay clean
Health and Wellbeing Stories

starting this sobriety thing has been one wild ride. I mean, who would have thought deciding to stop drinking could make me public enemy number one with my friends? Apparently just saying no isn't enough for people these days. They act like I've joined some weird cult or something; like I'm gonna start chanting…

i hate my face
Health and Wellbeing Stories

okay, i gotta spill the beans here... i'm totally fed up with the way i look!!! it's like every time i scroll through insta or any social media, bam! these perfect pics are slapping me in the face. honestly, how do people ALWAYS manage to look so flawless??? and yeah, i've heard it all before from my fam and friends…

Do people with bpd have empathy?
Health and Wellbeing Stories

i'm just sitting here in the waiting room at my therapist's office, and i can't help but overhear this, like, super intense conversation right next to me😬. there's this couple kind of going back and forth about something i've never really thought a whole lot about... they're debating whether folks with BPD actually…

reasons not to worry about cancer
Health and Wellbeing Stories

So my fam just got hit hard by the big C. Lost someone super close to me, and now I can't stop freakin' out about my own health. It's like this constant shadow creeping in every corner of my brain. Every cough, every sneeze: am I next? God, it's exhausting. But then there's my grandma. She's like this old-school…

sleep addiction
Health and Wellbeing Stories

yo so lately i've been sleepin like way too much after this breakup i went through. it's kinda gettin outta hand ya know? like every time i try to get up and do somethin productive, bam! i'm back under the covers snoozing away 😴 i keep tellin myself it ain't good but damn it's comfy in there... really though, my…

self punishment
Health and Wellbeing Stories

So here I am, stuck in this never-ending loop of self-sabotage, all thanks to my ridiculously high standards. Seriously, the expectations I put on myself are like trying to lift a boulder with a toothpick. I mean, who came up with this nonsense? When I don’t hit these impossible targets, it’s not just a “whoops, I…

Go to the gym
Health and Wellbeing Stories

so i decided, like many people, to start going to the gym this year; you know, new year, new me kind of thing. but man... it's a whole circus in there!!! seriously, i walk in, and i'm greeted by this gigantic maze of machines that look more like torture devices than fitness equipment!!! there are so many knobs and…

Is it normal to hate yourself?
Health and Wellbeing Stories

I've been feeling this overwhelming sense of self-criticism lately. Every task I complete at work seems to come with this inner monologue pointing out what I could've done better. Even when I'm chatting with friends, there's a voice in the back of my mind picking apart every word I've said. It's exhausting! You'd…

can you faint from a panic attack?
Health and Wellbeing Stories

so there I was, just minding my own business in the middle of a crowded grocery store. heart pounding like it's trying to burst outta my chest. thoughts racing all over the place. it felt like an out-of-body experience or something like that, y'know? at one point, I'm convinced I'm about to just keel over and pass out…

Why do i keep tossing and turning at night?
Health and Wellbeing Stories

can't sleep at night anymore. i don't know why, it's like i've tried everything: different pillows, sleeping on my left side or my right side. i even counted sheep last night 🐑 but nothing works. whatever position I get into it starts with a little wiggle and before you know it i'm a full-on tossing-turning mess.…

im ugly
Health and Wellbeing Stories

so i was scrolling through my phone and stumbled on this old picture of myself from a few years back. it got me thinking....Wow, I look different now. it's not just the hair color or weight changes; it's something else. maybe age has made its subtle marks, but there's that nagging thought... am i less attractive now?…