No matter how kind and honest we are, even to those closest to us, we all harbor secrets. Even our closest relatives and most reliable friends wouldn’t feel safe hearing about these things from us. But anonymity can be useful. Confession to strangers can help relieve your load if you’re feeling guilty or humiliated about something you did in the past. At least partially.
The r/confession subreddit steps in to help with that. With around 5.3 million members, it is a hugely well-liked online community where anyone may feel comfortable to “admit your wrongdoings, confess your shame, and soothe your conscience.” Here, everyone is urged to treat one another with respect and kindness. We’ve gathered some of the most sinister information on the things that people really regret doing from online communities like the sub and others that share a similar mindset. As you scroll down, their stories will be revealed.
We asked Andrea Bonior, Ph.D., to shed some light on why people feel better when they confess their secrets and wrongdoings in order to understand this. The host of the mental health counseling podcast “Baggage Check” and best-selling book “Detox Your Thinking,” Dr. Bonior, is interviewed by Hiptoro
#1 The Confession
I always say that I keep bees as a hobby because I like honey and wish to prevent colony collapse. The real reason I began was that my mother, who has a severe allergy to them, has stopped visiting my house.
#2 I Slapped A Child In The Face And Then Shoved Him Off His Scooter. I’m 25
So I have a beloved kitty named pixy. She was around 4 when I found her on the street. She had a rubber band tightened on half her tail. I spent 2 weeks feeding her until she was comfortable enough to let me near her, she didn’t trust anyone. I took her in, cleaned her up, and got the dead portion of her tail amputated.
After 5 years, she finally warmed up to people and she became so sweet and friendly. It took her years to be comfortable around strangers. Last month, she was out for her daily stroll around the neighborhood and immediately came back in through the kitty door 20 minutes later. Usually she is out and about for 2-3 hours. She had 2 small holes in her chest, and one near her butt. She was completely frightened and was crying/meowing, she wouldn’t even let me go near her for the first 5 minutes. I knew for certain that she was shot with metal bb’s.
I take her in my car and start driving to the vet, but took a quick detour around the neighborhood, I was going to take the long way to see if I could find the culprit. Sure enough I see a kid on a scooter standing on his driveway, with a Co2 powered bb gun, aiming in the drainage cavity by the sidewalk. I see cats in there all the time. It was then I knew who the culprit was.
I parked the car, got out, walked over to him and said “I’m telling your parents that you are shooting cats.” He replied “they are pests, they told me I could.” The smug little look on his face threw me over the edge, I slapped the f*ck outta this b**ch, and kick swept his legs out from under him and watched him fall flat on his a*s. I then picked up his gun and smashed it on the ground. A small part of me wanted to finish him off with a stomach kick for good measure, but I’m f**king 25 so I looked both ways before crossing the street, and f*cking bolted. As I hopped in my car and sped away, I heard him shrieking in the distance.
My kitty was treated, and is doing OK. She is a lot more skittish and spends less time outside.
Edit: in case your wondering, I’m pretty sure the cops were called. When I came back I saw a few strolling around, I was sure I was d.o.n.e. I’ve never been In trouble or done sh*t like this. Anyways, I drove by and literally nothing happened. It’s been a month I think I’m good.
#3 I Photoshop Every Photo Of My Mom
My mom has really had a hard time the past few years. When she entered menopause she gained weight and no matter how much she works out or what diet she tries she cannot drop it.
She is a wonderful person, beautiful inside and out, but I could tell it was really taking a toll on her. So I started (lightly) photoshopping pictures I take of her before I send them to anyone or print them. I just nip a little here and there, slight reshaping. and smoothing out a few wrinkles, nothing drastic, but enough.
Since I have started this she has started acting more confidently and has stopped making negative remarks about pictures she is in. She loves being in pictures with everyone again.
It has really helped. I have not told anyone and never will.
#4 I Give My 3 Year Old Son Counterfeit Fast Food
I save my sons Mc Donald’s wrappers and happy meal boxes then reuse them by serving him microwave chicken nuggets and oven French fries in them. I even throw in ketchup packets and a little toy he’d forgotten he had to help sell the lie. He loves it. And I’m not sorry
#5 I watch my boyfriend’s YouTube channel till I pass out because I enjoy seeing how happy he is when his videos receive more views.
I fall asleep watching my boyfriend’s YouTube channel so he gets more views on his videos because it makes me happy how excited he gets about more views
#6 I’m Dying But Haven’t Told Anyone
I was diagnosed with cancer a little over two weeks ago, after a regular checkup. Turns out I have a tumour on my colon that has spread to other areas (liver and lungs so far) and will require extensive chemo and surgery for any chance to live longer than 8 months
I’m not having any treatment and I haven’t told my wife because she’ll only pressure me to get the treatment, which result in months of pain and suffering for a relatively small chance
Instead, I’m making sure our last few months together are filled with only happy memories. I’m starting work later and finishing earlier each day, to make her breakfast in bed and take her on dates in the evenings
My landlord I rent my workshop from has agreed to let me run my business rent free for the next 6 months, which means significantly less financial stress and I can save a lot more, so she has something to carry her over afterwards
I hope she’ll forgive me for taking this path
#7 I Secretly Put Money In My Pants Pockets So My Husband Will Do The Laundry
I put $5 to $10 a week in my clothes. He thinks he is getting one over on me because we both have a weekly budget. He doesn’t know that he is part of my budget. If I even try to do the laundry he is like “No, I got it” Worth every red cent.
#8 I Sold Fake Drugs
At a party in high school i found a bottle of vitamin C pills in the bathroom and decided to tell other drunk kids that it was ecstasy and sold it to them for $20 a pill. I ended up leaving with about $200
#9 I Made My Brother Think He Has Alopecia For The Last Fifteen Years 
This is probably the pettiest thing I have ever done, and I regret it to this day. When I was fifteen years old, I got my first job and started to have some money of my own. I used my money to spoil myself and purchased nicer thing like clothes, shoes, makeup and salon brand shampoo.
My brother used to sneak into my bathroom and constantly steal my nice shampoo. He would use them and most of the time he would leave them open in the bathtub. This would result in the rest of the shampoo going down the drain and leave me with empty containers.
This drove me completely insane and I hated him for taking my things. I tried to speak with my parents about this, but they told me that I should just learn to share.
One day I went out and purchased hair removal cream. I mixed this into my shampoo bottle and left it in my bathroom. I gave him a verbal warning not to use my newly purchased bottle, but he stole it again anyway. Over the next few days his hair slowly started to fall out and small bald patches started to appear.
Seeing what I had done I immediately emptied the remaining shampoo. I felt terrible and I truly didn’t think it would have as a dramatic effect as it did. My mother took him to the doctor to get check out and they diagnosed him with Alopecia. He than had to start using this special and terrible smelling shampoo to combat this.
His hair did grow back but I just recently found out that he is still using the shampoo in order to prevent another Alopecia flair up. It has been 15 years now and I have never told my brother that I caused him to lose his hair.
#10 I Posted Fake Jobs On the Internet So I Could Build My Own Resume
When i was 19-20 years old I was looking for jobs and could not find any and people would tell me to build a nice resume. The problem was, I did not know how to do it so I posted fake jobs on internet and would get resumes. I used those resumes to build my own using the skills that I liked on their resumes. I could also tell who was competing with me for those jobs that I posted. I feel bad for those people that thought it was genuine and applied.
I am 33 now and have a nice job. Those resumes truly did help me build my career.
#11
I am a foot and a half taller than my wife. So when I take a shower I make sure to set the shower head as high as possible. Then when she gets in she can’t reach it to lower it and she has to call me in. So I get to see her naked. She has yet to realize that the setting is too high for even me. Not that I can’t see her naked pretty much any time but still. It’s the little things.
#12 I Run A Fake Restaurant On A Delivery App
I registered a company, bought all the take-away boxes from Amazon, signed up for a few delivery apps, made a few social media acounts and printed leaflets that I drop in mailboxes. I re-sell microwave meals…On some meals I add something to make them look better, like cheese. So far it’s at around £200 a day in revenue.
Nobody suspects a thing, soon someone will come for higene inspection, but I’ll pass that check without any problems. It’s not illegal to operate out of your own kitchen.
Should I feel bad? I feel kind of proud to be fair and free as a bird from the 9-5 life.
#13 My Boss Pissed Me Off So I’m Catfishing His Wife
My boss is generally a d*ck.
I noticed his wife (who also works at the company) came up as a recommended friend on Snapchat, I copied the user name and added her on my burner Snapchat.
After a few messages and a few fake selfies she has told me she is single and sent some damn good reveling pictures.
I feel a bit guilty now but damn she is hot.
#14 I Stole Money In Junior High School With A Fake Fundraiser
When I was in junior high and it was perfectly fine to go door to door and ask for donations for sporting events and stuff, my sister had a typewriter and I would make up a fake sign-up form and ask for donations to a team going somewhere with my school. Easily [made] [one] hundred bucks in one day. Never forgave myself lol
#15 I Sh*t On My Neighbors Door Step
So back when I was ten my dad asked me if I wanted to make 20$. I accepted. The catch I had to sh*t on our neighbors door step. It was clear my dad had beef with this woman. She woke in the morning and tried to blame our Chihuahua. My dad yelled at her saying that the sh*t was bigger then our dog. Impossible. The point is I don’t feel bad. Forever daddy’s girl.
