Why do we feel the need to hide our emotions?

briskrider20 said:They don't. Having parents isn't a curse.

Not a bad thing? My ass. Once a parent screws you over, not even a freaking fairy godmother can fix that damage.

Paul White80 said:Not a bad thing? My ass. Once a parent screws you over, not even a freaking fairy godmother can fix that damage.

Yeah, right. Because clearly, growing up in some state-run group home only to get tossed out onto the streets at 18 is just the dream. 🥳

briskrider20 said:That's a lie. If someone talks trash about you, your first instinct is to prove them wrong. But the real issue starts when they try to strip away your right to defend yourself just to win an argument.

Can you walk me through what you mean by that?

I mean, what part of this don't you get? They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, right? And seriously, don't go thinking you know what I think about you—or anyone else, for that matter. Don't flatter yourself.

Hannah Alvarez2 said:Yeah, right. Because clearly, growing up in some state-run group home only to get tossed out onto the streets at 18 is just the dream. 🥳

Oh, absolutely! Because nothing beats being raised by drug addicts or alcoholics who spend all day screaming and fighting, only to end up back on the street at 18 anyway. 😍

Paul White80 said:Oh, absolutely! Because nothing beats being raised by drug addicts or alcoholics who spend all day screaming and fighting, only to end up back on the street at 18 anyway. 😍

Because let's be real—"normal" parents are basically a myth. They don't actually exist. 👍

Hannah Alvarez2 said:Because let's be real—"normal" parents are basically a myth. They don't actually exist. 👍

Forget about being "normal." You're either a parent or you aren't. Making a kid? Anyone can do that. Even an idiot.

Hannah Alvarez2 said:Because let's be real—"normal" parents are basically a myth. They don't actually exist. 👍

Don't be ridiculous. They exist. It’s just that even when they mean well, they cram all sorts of useless, broken ways of thinking into our heads. We end up spending half our lives just trying to unlearn the nonsense they taught us.

But let's be real: there are plenty of toxic parents out there who cause damage left and right without giving a damn about the fallout.

If you look at the statistics, isn't parenting essentially a recipe for disaster? Nobody actually teaches people how to be parents. You're just some kid who knows nothing about the world, suddenly handed the massive, terrifying responsibility of raising and keeping a tiny human alive. How can anyone be ready for that? 😁

"Forget about being 'normal,' you either have what it takes to be a parent or you don't. Making a kid is the easy part—any idiot can do that."

I'm right there with you. Any moron can knock someone up... honestly, where is this world even heading? Parenting isn't for everyone, but some people just refuse to admit they aren't cut out for it.

carpe diem :How much of our baggage do you think we actually pick up from our family dynamics when we're kids?

Honestly, pretty much everything. It’s like the entire blueprint of the environment you grew up in gets hardwired into your brain. Sadly, it shapes my whole damn life, and there are days where I seriously regret even being in this world because of it.

ambercrane722 said:carpe diem :How much of our baggage do you think we actually pick up from our family dynamics when we're kids?

Honestly, pretty much everything. It’s like the entire blueprint of the environment you grew up in gets hardwired into your brain. Sadly, it shapes my whole damn life, and there are days where I seriously regret even being in this world because of it.

Joe Biden, sure, but eventually people grow up and actually get the chance to question everything they were taught.

Almost everything, including the influence of the environment we grew up in. Unfortunately, it affects my entire life, and sometimes I regret even being here.

That’s just a fancy way of saying, "I give up, I have no self-control, and I'll let my surroundings dictate my existence." 😁

Sure, but honestly? Death is the only thing I'm actually craving, even though I love living life

ambercrane722 said:Sure, but honestly? Death is the only thing I'm actually craving, even though I love living life

Where on earth is this coming from now? 🤔

Most of my closest friends were brutally taken from me during the war, and growing up in such a violent environment left scars I’ve never breathed a word about to anyone... I just don't think people actually want to sit there and listen to that kind of heavy stuff, so I just handle it all on my own, playing my own therapist. But honestly? I can't help but feel like death is just one big release from it all.

ambercrane722 said:Most of my closest friends were brutally taken from me during the war, and growing up in such a violent environment left scars I’ve never breathed a word about to anyone... I just don't think people actually want to sit there and listen to that kind of heavy stuff, so I just handle it all on my own, playing my own therapist. But honestly? I can't help but feel like death is just one big release from it all.

Release from what, exactly?

How does any of this even relate to the topic at hand? 🤔

It’s just straight-up internal pain and misery. Totally off-topic, and I'm done talking about it.

If everything they do ultimately leads to them kicking you to the curb without a single cent to your name, then honestly, what else is there to say? I mean, really. Just give it your all, pour your heart into it, and don't go expecting a damn thing in return. Because at the end of the day, whatever scraps you might get are just their own missed opportunities. They’re only handing you stuff so you can wrap up the mess they started in the first place—it was never actually yours to begin with, right? Look, I don't just fly off the handle at people for no reason, and I don't owe anyone an explanation either.

It seems like everything in this life—whether it’s breathing or just existing—requires some sort of official permit or government clearance, though I suppose parenting is one of those few chaotic exceptions where no paperwork is required. ☕

ambercrane722 said:It’s just straight-up internal pain and misery. Totally off-topic, and I'm done talking about it.

Oh, it certainly does.

This whole topic really hits home...
I don't even dare open up to my own sister—she’s always found a way to twist my words against me, one way or another.
Yet, I'll spill my entire soul to a complete stranger on the street. 🙄

I suppose we expect something positive from the people we show our rawest selves to—so when they let us down, it isn't just a disappointment; it feels like a bullet to the head.
And then you just shut down completely.
With strangers, it's different—you know you'll likely never see them again, so there's no risk of them actually hurting you.

But playing a part? That's dangerous. It drains you, and once you're empty, anything can happen.
Dealing with high-level anxiety, I used to try and force my intense emotions from a 1 down to a 0. Basically, I'd take all that vulnerability—that "lamb to the slaughter" feeling—and try to flip it into pure rage or aggression just to hold my own against supervisors. Thank God I didn't use any language that would get me fired, allowing me to fight for what was right (as strange as that sounds). 😉 But ten minutes later, I’d be sitting alone in a bathroom stall crying my eyes out.
It broke me... honestly, I think it still breaks me every single time I have to fake it...
Maybe I should just vent it all into 🙂, but then this guilt creeps in, and that hits me pretty hard 🙂
At this point, I'd settle for just being indifferent. 🥱