Honestly, if you ask me, just ditch the hormone pills altogether. They claim to help, but they can totally backfire. I tried birth control for a little while because my periods were always super heavy, and man, it was a disaster. One time, it actually landed me in the ER needing a blood transfusion because the bleeding was just so sudden and intense. After that scare, I was done. Period. Instead, I decided to try some traditional Chinese medicine to manage everything. After finishing one treatment course, things have been awesome—knock on wood—for like 5 or 6 years now. No more gyno issues at all. My cycle is super regular, too. I get a little crampy on day one (no Advil needed!), and day two is a bit heavier, but it’s nothing compared to the nightmare I had a decade ago. Everything feels totally normal to me now, which is how it should be. A period is just a part of life, right? Just cut down on the stress, stop worrying so much, live a healthy lifestyle, and get outside for some fresh air... everything eventually falls into place.
People keep telling me I look chubby... and honestly, I get it. Since I’m on the shorter side, everything just looks more compact. I've got these strong arms and legs, my chest is pretty small—like, a solid A cup—and yeah, I definitely have a waist and some curves back there. My legs aren't super long or anything either... but man, I just look way heavier than I feel, especially whenever I catch myself in photos.
Hey guys, quick question—is it totally normal for one breast to look different from the other? Like, one feels maybe slightly larger or just looks a bit different in shape? I only really noticed this recently. Looking back at some old shirtless photos from a few years ago versus how things look now, there's definitely a difference. I'm wondering if this could be some kind of hormonal thing or something else entirely? Should I go get checked out by a doctor?
So, my period decided to show up a few days early... normally I'm pretty consistent, like right on a 28-day cycle. I'm pretty sure it's just because of this crazy heatwave we've been having lately. Honestly, I don't think there's much point in stressing out over stuff like this unless things get actually weird, you know? Like if I started getting heavy bleeding totally out of nowhere mid-cycle...
I’ve had such a rough time with birth control. After my procedure and dealing with early-stage cervical issues again, I tried switching things up. My periods got lighter, sure, but man... I felt heavy, depressed, bloated constantly—just honestly felt terrible.
Then I gave holistic medicine a shot, and it was seriously the only thing that actually helped me feel like myself again...
Now, I bleed a little more on the second day of my period, but everything else feels totally normal. Oh my God. Honestly, I'd much rather deal with this than force hormones into my body; they just aren't for me.
Low blood pressure is such a drag, and honestly, I deal with it too... it’s like, if I push myself too hard or even just hold my arms at a certain angle, it really shows... I've basically just gotten used to it by now though. What else can you do?
So, I'm 35 now and I've always dealt with enlarged pores on my cheeks, but lately, it feels like they're spreading all over my face... is there actually a fix for this? What even causes it? It's weird because nobody else in my family has ever dealt with this kind of thing...
Kyle Nelson2 said:Look, I just wanted to check in and let you guys know they’re actually out there, and some of them actually managed to clear up those (forced) questions...
And don't even get me started on how they stifle your interests. They won't sign you up for dance or music lessons because "it's not for you" or "you'll just quit in a few months" or "it's not worth buying a piano." They'll push you toward a mediocre high school because you didn't pull straight A's, claiming it's better to go somewhere easier, while all your friends—regardless of their grades—get into the top schools. They only see your flaws and kill any potential you might have. They refuse to actually raise a child constructively; they think kids just raise themselves and that their only job is to listen to them and their senseless bickering. Instead of offering emotional support, they throw money at you or buy you things to make you "happy," but you still aren't happy, and then you're labeled ungrateful and disobedient. Then they spend forever bragging about how a cousin won a competition or how successful everyone else became while you achieved nothing special. They are never on your side. You're always the problem. They tell you that you'll never marry or have kids, but how are you supposed to find a decent partner when your father is constantly yelling at you or hitting you over every little thing? He just wants peace at home and everything in its perfect place because he thinks he's the king of the household. They even mock your struggles as you get older; the lack of heart and responsibility they showed during your development turns into open ridicule and contempt once you're an adult. So, Harold Anderson3, start loving yourself and working on your own growth immediately. Take that default inner critic and replace it with the encouragement and kindness you deserved. It isn't easy, but it saves you from further destruction and mental or physical illness. Look, we aren't alone. There are plenty of us, which proves the problem isn't us—it's them. Some people truly shouldn't be parents.👎
It's so sad how superficial people get once they have kids, just following basic instincts or social pressure... they ruin their own lives and those kids' lives for generations to come...👎
They don't realize that a child is basically just a tiny, sweet little expert for that first year of life.👎
I’ve got a similar situation going on in my family, starting with myself and then moving through my relatives... basically just a bunch of dysfunctional people who are all grown up now. And why? Because they were constantly getting torn down by their parents or held back in one way or another... whether it was mental warfare or straight-up physical stuff. It was always "you can't do this" or "you're not cut out for that"... god, or just "look at yourself, you look terrible." Like, "look how ugly your hands are," or "she's so much better at school than you are," or "she's just better overall." Just non-stop criticism and put-downs, with zero praise for anything actually achieved and zero interest in what anyone was actually passionate about.
I mean, you get what you get. You end up with a kid who has zero self-confidence, someone who feels totally lost in their own world and just struggles to get by in life. Honestly, sometimes it's better if some people just never have kids. Period. 👎
It’s not about looks, and it’s about me.. Let's just say we listened to The Beatles a little too much back then, and I wasn't exactly feeling great about myself either. We were just two lost college kids in NYC, completely unprepared for the real world.
Oh, and nobody even asked how things ended with my ex. Honestly, it's probably better that way. I won't tell you.. It would just be a disaster for this thread, which has been on such an upward trajectory lately..👍
Man, now you've actually got me curious.....😕
Was it about her or you? You can always hit me up in a DM if you don't wanna deal with all the random people on here who think they're experts on everything...😬
rustymaker5 said:Most people have dealt with it, and honestly, even as the years crawl by, those moments where you just can't stand what you see in the mirror still pop up every now and then. And it’s frustrating because nothing anyone says helps—when people tell you that you actually look great, it doesn't stick, because they aren't seeing what you're seeing... There was a stretch of time where I let it really get to me, but I eventually figured out the solution in a pretty simple way. See, I love photography and I have these massive stacks of photo albums lying around, so I find myself flipping through them all the time. One day, while I was digging through some old shots, I realized that back then, I actually looked incredible. But the immediate thought that hit me was how miserable I had been about my appearance during that exact same period. I started looking at photos from the years that followed, and the pattern became so obvious: I was constantly nitpicking and complaining back then, yet looking back now, I can see I was absolutely stunning. So, this is how I look at things lately: why should I let how I look right now eat me alive, when in a few years, I'll probably be looking back and thinking I looked amazing during this phase? Which basically means that now I actually look good. 😍
Doesn't work for me... I'm 35 now and looking back at pics from when I was 16, I don't think I looked great at all. Honestly, I peaked somewhere between 29 and 33.
Noah Sanchez7 said:It’s crazy how much we get inside our own heads. Everyone has something they're tripping over deep down... 😉 For example, I don't even know what "tiny breakouts" really look like, let alone if they're small. I'm 99% sure if a girl had them, I wouldn't even notice at first glance. And even if I did, I honestly wouldn't give a damn...
Still, I'll share something with you that might help. Not too long ago, a girl I knew from back home and I ended up living together in NYC. We were roommates. It never even crossed my mind that I was secretly into her. She wasn't conventionally beautiful or particularly hot, but she had something about her that made her lovely once you got to know her. One night, we threw a little bash at our place—a party, I guess I'm using the right word 🙂—and obviously, everyone had a few drinks. Five of us stayed over, but there were only two beds. Three of us (her, me, and another guy) shared one, and the other two shared the second. Under the influence, she leaned right up against me, everything became clear, and we drifted off to sleep. I actually had to nudge the other guy because he clearly wasn't paying attention while my hands were wandering under the covers since she was in the middle... I didn't rush anything; I just let things play out for a bit... During that time, she always seemed a bit washed out. She was like a plant that needed watering or a fish gasping to get back into the river; she just looked wilted... Once I made the first move and we hooked up, literally just a few days later, she underwent an incredible transformation. You wouldn't believe it. She changed for the better by like 550%. She became a truly beautiful woman, gorgeous, a total knockout... As time went on, she became more perfect to me, which had a positive effect on me too—I felt better, more upbeat, more positive, etc...
What did I learn? People need love. Without love, we become unattractive—truly unattractive. She is someone with massive potential (whether for a career, art, or something else—it doesn't matter), but that potential was being totally misdirected... channeled into dissatisfaction, irritability, fighting, bitterness, and jealousy. A little love acted like a magic wand...
And one more thing... the less you obsess over your breakouts, wrinkles, lines, or stretch marks, the less they'll seem to exist on your body...
This is honestly one of the smartest posts I've read here. I've noticed the exact same thing, not just with myself but with people around me too. Love is something we all need, both giving it and receiving it. That's when we actually start looking better—not just to ourselves, but to everyone else too.
Facts..... listen to this guy, he knows what he's talking about...👍
hiddentrucker16 said:Well, here I am, back on this thread again.😁 😁 People just aren't good—they're complete morons.😂 😂 Just felt the need to vent a little bit of my frustration toward the sheer stupidity of the human race—it’s honestly revolting... people are idiots, animals, manipulators, liars, hypocrites, selfishly obsessed with themselves, etc., etc... there. I feel slightly better now. I hate, hate, hate people...🙂 🎉 🎉
I think you just threw a pretty nasty insult at animals there.😎
I’m usually pretty friendly, but I definitely keep my distance when guys who aren't really my type start hitting on me. It’s not like they’re being super arrogant or outright rude—they’re just chatting me up—but I can tell they're making a move. So, I just sort of keep them at arm's length, you know? Trying to be chill without being unnecessarily harsh about it.
Chris Morris9 said:I'm right there with you. I actually had a bit of a meltdown just a moment ago because I've been noticing—and it's finally hit me hard—just how incredibly selfish and cruel people can be. Everyone is constantly tearing each other down. Sure, I can take a joke, but some people just cross the line. It feels like if you want to avoid being the daily target of someone's tasteless commentary, you have to look "acceptable," talk a certain way, listen to specific music, laugh at the "right" things, watch the trendy movies, buy the right brands, and parrot everyone else's opinions. God forbid you say something slightly stupid, trip over your words mid-sentence, or miss a double entendre... then you're fair game. Most of the people acting like this clearly have deep-seated issues with themselves, so it's easier to just find a scapegoat to vent on.
Honestly, evolutionarily speaking, we haven't moved an inch since the days when crowds would stone people to death. A mob is still just a bunch of people with smiles on their faces and "warmth" in their hearts while they point fingers at the accused.
You hit the nail on the head there. But that's why having your own identity and integrity is everything. I've dealt with similar stuff, even with my own inner circle who are full-grown adults. They've got deep-seated issues with themselves and their health, too. But the thing is, by acting like this, they end up pushing away the people closest to them. Take me, for example—I barely feel the urge to call them at all. I stayed with them for a few nights in New York City recently and was super grateful for the stay, but I don't feel any need to reach out, and it's been three months now. Who knows when I'll check in again.
I've been living away for the last couple of years, and before I left, things were pretty chill and we got along great. But lately, I've noticed such a massive shift. Just this huge wave of negative energy hitting within a few years.
I’m pretty much like that with everyone, honestly, but you’ve gotta learn how to read people. If I see someone just trying to use me to boost their own ego, I’m out. You have to respect yourself first, and then you can respect others. It’s a package deal, and people can totally sense when it’s genuine. So, the other day I was chilling on a bench in the park, and this older gentleman comes over to sit down. Even though there was plenty of space elsewhere, he chose to sit right next to me. It didn't bother me at all. We started chatting—a little awkward at first, you know?—but then it got really relaxed. He ended up telling me all sorts of things: he’s over 90 now, and he was sharing stories about what old San Francisco used to look like back in the day. I was being friendly, he was being sweet, it was just nice.
A little later, three other older folks showed up and sat on the bench near us. Turns out they knew the gentleman quite well. We all started talking, and since one of them used to be a merchant marine, we ended up swapping travel stories. They actually seemed surprised that I wasn't being rude or standoffish, since most people act that way nowadays. But hey, we chatted for a solid 15 or 20 minutes before I had to head off. It was a lovely interaction, nothing bad happened, and I think we all left feeling pretty good about the encounter.
It’s all about reading the room. If someone starts draining your energy, messing with you, or being straight-up disrespectful, just walk away. I can't stand arrogant people; I usually avoid them entirely or keep it to the bare minimum. Honestly, arrogance is usually just a mask for insecurity and frustration. Don't let those types get you down. There are still plenty of good people out there just like you, and those arrogant types? They're actually having a harder time than you are. Their insecurity and unhappiness have just spiraled so far that they don't even know how to handle it properly anymore.
Pure kindness and sincerity might not always get noticed, but when you mix that with actual backbone and intelligence, people really value it. Above everything else, those kinds of people shine like bright neon signs in this gray world. Which would be a lot prettier if everyone just decided to be like that.😉
I definitely see myself in this: I’ve got all the hallmarks of someone with a high IQ. A little bit narcissistic, people thought I was "off" or just different from everyone else when I was a kid, and yeah... I tend to struggle with depression sometimes.😬