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ZZGooch , Anna Shvets/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I grew up with some fairly questionable dental care that was free through my dad’s tribal healthcare. I had a lot of dental problems, likely stemming from my mom giving me apple juice in a baby bottle as well as enamel that never developed correctly.

During the annual dentist trip my older brother and sister never had cavities, but I always had 4-5 or more. So the visits were pretty hellacious. I would complain about the procedures and how badly they hurt (I was 6ish) but my family were “hard a*s” and “tough love” people. So my complaints were dismissed as whining and worse, told that I deserved it for not brushing my teeth better.

So, I stopped complaining. 27 years later while going through my 5th root canal I was shaking and tense and sweating. The dentist kept asking if I was ok, like they always did. I said “ya I’m fine” like I always said.

This time though, the dentist stopped the procedure, pulled his mask off and said “are you experiencing any pain? You seem like you are.” I said “of course I am, it’s a root canal, these always hurt terribly, but I’ll be ok, let’s just push through it.”

He said “You shouldn’t feel anything at all. Only some pressure, but ZERO pain. Root canals shouldn’t hurt.” Then he numbed me more, started again and kept numbing me until I felt NOTHING.

5 minutes in he stopped again because I was crying and he asked if it still hurt. I said “no, not all” and smiled crookedly through my completely numb face.

I thought dental procedures were supposed to hurt. I was 33 when a dentist finally realized I was suffering but self-reporting I was fine. There was always more numbing they could have done. I suffered for 3 decades because I was told to stop complaining as a 6yo.

If you feel pain, any pain at all, tell your dentist. Zero pain is normal. Advocate for yourself. Also, don’t tell young children to stop complaining about pain, because they might listen and you cause them to hurt for a lifetime.

163points

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DC 1 week ago

Root canal stuff is vastly better if you apply a little Valium. Like, whatever makes you fall asleep. My last one, I slept through entirely, employing 30 mg (I'm sort of unsnensitive, this sounds like a pretty high dose, but it doesn't affect me that much - a subway ride home and about 1 km walk, I got done afterwards), and not having any memories about it makes it the least sucking dental procedure I ever had. Root tip, that was even, which are the next attempt after root canal hasn't worked out as expected, hoped far, aimed at. Root tip removal #1 was the thirdmost painful thing I ever did (number one is teeth, too, but I'll spare you this time - much worste, much stupider....), it was 2010, I was 27, and cried from sheer pain the first time since primary school.

13points

Velghast , Egor Kamelev/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I didn't know people can't smell ants, bugs, and other scents. First time I walked into a friend's apartment I said "whoa dude you got an ant problem!" He was like oh s**t where is the ants? I'm like idk man but I smell em. He looked at me like I was the dumbest f****r he's ever seen and just told me that's impossible. Sure enough in his pantry, a little line of those f*****s pillaging a bag of rice into a vent via conga line.

On that day I learned not everyone can smell ants.

Edit: apparently I have a superpower. If any entomologist wants to reach out I would love to work with you. Insects are amazing. I always had a very strong connection with bees I had one riding around with me the other day in the car I stopped traffic because it wouldn't leave me alone I had to pick it up and leave it outside my car on some foliage. Bugs are friends, do not kill.

139points

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Ece Cenker 1 week ago

" ...a little line of those f*****s pillaging a bag of rice into a vent via conga line." LOL!!

64points

gameryamen , POI */Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

Out of the many interesting responses in this thread, one particularly caught our eye. Redditor u/Velghast shared his unusual ability to smell insects, which intrigued us so much that Bored Panda reached out to him to learn more about his ‘superpower.’

“I didn’t realize I was smelling insects at first,” he explained. “As a kid, I thought it was just part of the outdoor smell. Then I started noticing that ant mounds smelled different, and so did the areas where ants traveled. It was like a burning citrus scent in the air.”

Growing up, he assumed everyone could smell these odors. “Since we didn’t have ants in our home, I just thought it was a normal part of life. But one day, while in my friend’s kitchen, he mentioned he couldn’t smell anything unusual. That’s when I realized maybe this wasn’t something everyone could detect.”

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) When I'm in a room with other people, part of my brain is paying attention to *every* conversation my ears can pick up, all at once. Specifically, it's paying attention to the emotional temper of each conversation, in case someone suddenly starts having a bad time.

Turns out most of you just listen to one conversation at a time. My way is actually a consequence of growing up around an explosive parent, deep down I don't want anything to happen that will lead to an angry person yelling at us. This also explains why I have a hard time in groups bigger than 10 or so, there tends to be too many voices having different conversations, and I get overwhelmed processing it all. If I can't keep up, I feel vulnerable and exposed, and things cycle downward from there.

128points

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Huddo's sister 1 week ago

I often listen to two conversations at once, sometime while actually speaking. It drives my stepdad crazy because he thinks I'm not listening and am being rude. I also think it overstimulates him hearing so many voices.

27points

Wonderful_Theme1383 , Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I used to think everyone had a vivid inner monologue narrating their day, but then I found out some people don’t have one at all. It blew my mind when I realized that wasn't common.

121points

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Pernille 1 week ago

Not just a monologue, there is also a DJ with a very questionable, but varied, taste in music.

140points

Kater-chan , Creation Hill/Pexels (not he actual photo) Report

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Mirroring other peoples behavior and making a "personality" fitting for them. Results in me being super stressed when I meet new people because I don't know how to behave. Social contact also costs a lot of energy. Turns out people don't think of that and just kinda go as themselves. However that's supposed to work.

Also genuinely enjoying being alone. I told a friend that I will just lock myself in my flat for a few days to relax and he said that's a "bit extreme". For me it's really nice and relaxing. I need my alone time and don't 'miss' social contact as fast as other people.

118points

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Upstaged75 1 week ago

I'm happy being social when I want to be, but I have a battery that only holds a certain amount of charge. Once it's drained I need to be alone so I can recharge. I'm very rarely lonely even though I'm alone most of the time. And I'm not shy or awkward either - it's called an Ambivert.

16points

MsFlippy , Polina Zimmerman/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

The citrusy scent that u/Velghast noticed ants giving off is actually a natural defense mechanism. According to Clint Penick, an assistant professor of entomology and plant pathology at Auburn University, ants release this odor to make themselves unappealing to predators.

For u/Velghast, however, the ‘citronella’ scent, as entomologists call it, has a surprising appeal. “It almost burns your nose,” he said, “but to me, it’s quite nice—kind of like gasoline.”

Interestingly, not all ant species produce odors strong enough for humans to detect. Some can only be smelled when crushed or if present in large colonies, but u/Velghast’s nose seems unusually sensitive.

Other bugs, u/Velghast describes, have their own signature scents. For example, some insects carry a dingy, earthy smell, while others have a deep, musty aroma. Roaches, he added, are the exception—they give off a faint almond-like scent, almost reminiscent of grass.

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Not trusting your parents and being very careful not to share any details of your personal life because they'll use it against you. I thought everyone did it.

111points

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Robby Sale 1 week ago

Not only this but also behaving and experiencing emotion as determined by those close enough to know you. This is all part of dysfunctional behavior that can mess people up for life.

15points

PixieQuirks , JESHOOTS.com/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I didn't realize that people didn't memorize movies to keep from being bored. When I was a kid, we lived pretty far from my grandparents, so that was a long trip in the car. So I learned that I could break up the time by "re watching" a movie as we drove. So I was praised for being able to sit still, but I was reciting Aladdin or Land Before Time in my head the whole time.

I still do this to some extent. The last time I was able to drive down to Florida, I looked at the trip time and thought, "Oh! That's not too bad! That's two Hamiltons and a Lion King!"

I didn't realize that other people didn't memorize scripts down to the actor's inflections until I took an acting course and monologues and cold reads came really easy to me. It turns out most people remember certain lines that they like or remember a funny scene is coming up.
I felt like the biggest dork when I explained it.

96points

POST

Westerly 1 week ago

This sounds really cool, and will absolutely be an advantage for acting etc!

42points

throwaway271999 , Umut Sarıalan/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) It took me until i was in my early 20s to realize that straight women actually do have romantic feelings for their male partners and i’m actually just a lesbian.

95points

POST

TribbleThinking 1 week ago

ROFL. Congratulations on finding out, though. 😄

38points

hepzibah59 , Kelly/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

Since posting his reply and receiving so much attention on Reddit, u/Velghast has reached out to professionals and done some research to understand why he can detect insect scents so clearly.

“I talked to my GP about it, and her response was pretty funny. She said, ‘Sir, you’ve been smoking for 15 years—I’m surprised you can smell your own flatulence or a baked cookie at this point,’” he shared with us.

“She mentioned that while she’s not an ENT, it’s possible I have a genetic sensitivity to certain pheromones. After doing some research, I found that I might actually be picking up on insect pheromones—something humans are technically capable of, though ours are usually scentless. Insects, however, use a different chemical mixture.”

Later, he saw an ENT and decided to get a second opinion. “During my next wellness exam, I asked him if my theory could be possible. His response was pretty entertaining. He said, ‘Your throat’s fine, but stop picking your nose and shoving Q-tips so far into your ears. I don’t watch Animal Planet, so if this is some kind of Doctor Dolittle gift, awesome. I don’t know—go work for Terminix, maybe it’s your calling.’”

“Gotta love the doctors of Baltimore City.”

#10

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I thought that being unhappy was normal, that people were just faking being happy. Then I was diagnosed with depression, got medication and it literally changed my life.

93points

POST

T'Mar of Vulcan 1 week ago

Same thing with me. Thought it was normal for 90% of interactions to trigger butterflies, racing heart, etc. Turns out I had really hectic anxiety and depression. Also changed with medication. Now I can talk to people and be sociable. It's fantastic.

22points

Radioactivejellomold , cottonbro studio/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#11

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I used to hear a full symphony in my head when I lay down at night. Most of the time it's mellow with beautiful violins, oboes, French horns... It slowly builds and can be quite moving. It's never songs I've heard or know. I have zero musical talent so in my head it all stays.

I say "used to" because once I developed tinnitus the ringing has taken place of the music. Pretty c****y trade off.

90points

POST

Bat cat in a hat 1 week ago

Having tinnitus what I really miss is silence

40points

SomeGarbage292343882 , Dilara/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#12

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) When I was a kid, I'd walk to school. When it was cold, I'd come home and my mom would ask "why are you wheezing?" I'd shrug because I thought it was just what happened to people when it was cold.

Found out several years later that I had exercise induced asthma, and cold weather was my main trigger.

88points

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Huddo's sister 1 week ago

My mum didn't believe me at first when I said I think I have asthma because I struggled to breathe after running cross-country. She was a bit surprised when the doctor said I had exercised induced asthma.

31points

Jeramy_Jones , RDNE Stock project/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#13

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I thought all girls would rather be boys if they had the choice.

Nope. Turns out I was trans. Took me 34 years of my life to realize that.

86points

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Debby Keir 1 week ago

From a pretty young age, I wanted to be a boy. Growing up in the 50's meant that as a girl 'you're not allowed to do this, or that' all the time, but boys could. It wasn't till the mid 60's that I realised, actually, I'm happy being a girl, but I'll fight you to the death to be 'allowed' to do what I want.

92points

JournalistShot1501 , MART PRODUCTION/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#14

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Constant counting in my head. Turns out that’s an OCD symptom. Didn’t realize until I was an adult. I count everything. Constantly.

76points

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Bill 1 week ago

And when you chew your food. you have to chew at the same amount of time on each side. Yeah, I get that. And when I was younger I had to do things in multiples of three. I turned the light switch off on and off again. Didn't really realize that was OCD behavior until I was an adult either. I still have .....tendencies lol

23points

Hijastronaut , RDNE Stock project/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#15

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Apologizing constantly, even for things that aren’t my fault. Turns out, not everyone feels the need to say ‘sorry’ all the time.

75points

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crazydogmama 1 week ago

Having an abusive parent causes this survival instinct. Especially in girls.

32points

BrigitteSophia , Pixabay/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#16

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) How much I daydream

How much I over analyze every social encounter

How just imagining my sister dying will bring tears

How much I try to mentally prepare for my family members dying.

74points

POST

BarfyCat 1 week ago

Is this... is this not normal? 😟

30points

surk_a_durk , Sara mazin/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#17

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I thought it was normal that certain fabric textures make people feel physically nauseated and violently repulsed when touching them.

No, that’s called autism.

73points

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arthbach 1 week ago

It's not just autists who have sensory aversions.

52points

GloomOnTheGrey , Jehvan/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#18

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) The way the lights look at night when you have astigmatism. I saw a photo comparison of normal vision compared to vision with astigmatism, and it genuinely surprised me.

72points

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Any 1 week ago

I don't have this and I have astigmatism. Like not even a small bit and I am always confused of how other people see lights with astigmatism because I don't see them like the pictures suggest (without glasses of course) And I am an optician. xD

14points

AriasK , cottonbro studio/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#19

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) My parents worked full time and left me home alone a lot. They never checked if I had homework or anything like that. So I'd just come home from school, watch TV, play with my dog, whatever, by myself. I literally never did my homework because no one was there to make me. More often than not I was a bit bored and lonely. Most days I would try and find a friend to come hang out. I'd ring (this was in the 90s) every single kid in my class to come over and play. They always said no, they weren't allowed, because they had homework to do and because my parents weren't home. I didn't understand the concept of "not allowed". My parents weren't even there. I could just go anywhere I wanted. Why couldn't they? It wasn't until I was an adult with my own kids that I realized their parents were just a lot more responsible than mine.

62points

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arthbach 1 week ago

That's an interesting way of saying 'My parents were abusive - they neglected me for years.'

30points

XinaRoo , Subin/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#20

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Ever since I can remember I got periodic weird sparkly things in my field of vision. Rainbow, jagged, circular-ish thing that gradually got bigger until my head seemed to ‘pass through’ the ring and then it faded. Happened all the time. I would get really cranky, achy and tired afterward. Always happened when my mom would take me shopping for clothes or groceries (she used to get so annoyed when I wanted to leave after 10 minutes at the mall). In my twenties I mentioned it in passing ‘oh hang on I have a sparkly thing. Ugh I hate these because now I’m going to have a headache’. Mom was like ‘wait WHAT?’ Yeah, I have chronic migraine with aura and fluorescent light is a primary trigger.

Edited to add:
WOW I had no idea so many people experienced this! I feel for each and every one of you. When I was younger - maybe into my 20s - they were just a weird annoying inconvenience. Yeah I felt a little c****y afterward, but nothing debilitating. Unfortunately they progressed to being a harbinger of doom. Full migraines with all the awful pain, nausea, light sensitivity, aphasia, brain fog, the works. Besides evil fluorescent light, I’ve identified lack of sleep, too much sleep, dehydration, exercise, stress, and sudden positional changes (standing up too quickly) as triggers. Yay for trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle? 🙄recommendation: find a doctor who will refer you to a good neurologist. I’m working my way through a series of preventative meds that work for awhile until they don’t. But we keep trying! My neurologist said ‘well, you know we’re basically guessing. We just keep guessing until something works’. Good luck out there!

61points

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Susie Elle 1 week ago

Ocular migraines suck so bad. I once thought I was having a stroke when I couldn't see anymore, my right side jaw started tingling and my fingers on my right hand went numb one by one. Turns out that can be a migraine too.

31points

jtaulbee , Tembela Bohle/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#21

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) When I think to myself, I often use “we”. If I’m getting up to get some coffee, I’ll think “let’s go get some coffee.” It’s not a split personality thing… I think I distinguish between the parts of me that does/feels/thinks things and the meta part of me that observes myself.

I saw a Reddit post about this a few years ago, and I realized that a few people do the same thing, but most people think it’s very weird. .

60points

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Agata Konador 1 week ago

I do the same and because same reason 😁

21points

Trickymia , Malachi Cowie/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#22

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Constant existential dread. Turns out not everyone’s brain is a 24/7 horror show.

58points

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UncleJohn3000 1 week ago (edited)

Constant existential dread just means you're paying attention. Blessed are the ignorant in their bliss.

26points

mugofsoul , Mizuno K/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#23

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) It took me awhile to put together that most people notice that they're hungry before it starts to hurt.

57points

POST

Leoninus Fate 1 week ago

i have this, idk if it's the same for everyone, but my mind is from damaged nerves that stop the impulses of my belly and body telling my brain "Hey you hungry and need to eat!" mine doesn't do that and it confuses me when I start to hurt, I have to have wrote reminders, and alarms to tell me to eat every so often {i have pseudotumor cerebri, "basically a brain tumor without the physical tumor"}

21points

Meta Veldkamp 1 week ago

Oooh now I get it, I was thinking more in the abuse corner. Ya my friend has something like that, she regularly forgets to eat. 🤯

5points

Amelia Jade 1 week ago

9 times out of 10 I will get what I call a hunger headache but will never have any other indication I'm hungry. Sometimes I will get a growly stomach but it's rare. The headache is how I know I need to eat it feels different from other headaches.

7points

UncleJohn3000 1 week ago

My stomach rarely growls and for me, the indicator I'm hungry is the thought, "How long has it been since you've eaten?" It surprises me every time.

2points

H R 1 week ago

One side effect of adhd medicine is the loss of appetite. This happened and are still ongoing to some degree with me.

5points

Huddo's sister 1 week ago

My sister had problems with that with the shorter acting ones like Ritalin and she was severely underweight as a kid. I don't think her current med does supress it but she does still forget to eat quite often. It's such a hard balance really, because you need the meds, but the side effects can be just as harmful to you. I have a kid I look after who is really struggling at the moment because he was underweight so tried different adhd meds, which worked well for a few months then stopped so he had to try something else, which suppressed appetite again, then had to try something else and it seems to be an ongoing cycle.

0points

tarryn norwich 1 week ago

Who eats pizza like this??

4points

nottheactualphoto 1 week ago

Today is Sideways Day!

0points

Bremusa4u 1 week ago

I've ADHD and when I get into my hype focus mode, I definitely forget to eat. It's only when I start getting dizzy and irritated that I notice how hungry I am.

2points

Huddo's sister 1 week ago

That happens to my mum and sister too. They suddenly realise it's 9pm and they haven't eaten since lunch or earlier.

1point

Becky Samuel 1 week ago

I can never tell if my tummy ache is because I have some sort of food poisoning or if I'm hungry. My body doesn't really give me any reminders to eat so I have to stick to a routine.

2points

August 1 week ago

Why is she eating the pizza from the side??

1point

Marmee Noir 1 week ago

Interoception hypo-sensitivity: the struggle to register body signals like hunger, thirst and the need to go to the bathroom. I'm sure many people have this trait but mine is specific to autism so might be worth considering lol

1point

Joseph Arnold 1 week ago

I just got used to being hungry as a kid. I can go three days now without even noticing I haven't eaten a thing. And I'm still not hungry.

1point

Zenba 1 week ago

That can be a symptom of ADHD <- source: me. I have that too. Same with peeing. Fun times.

0points

Elladine DesIsles 1 week ago

It's slightly reassuring to know that there are others (including pandas!) with this experience. I do have appetite sometimes - a desire to eat something specific, usually - but I have no physical sensation of hunger, no awareness of needing to eat until I get dizzy. I've been known to forget for several days when on my own. I have, at least, got better at remembering over the years.

0points

Lsai Aeon 1 week ago

I have this. I also have issues with not being notified that I have to go to the bathroom until it's almost too late. My mother constantly punished (and by punished I mean spanked then required to write lines for hours) me for having accidents instead of taking me to a doctor.

0points

Meta Veldkamp 1 week ago

What??

0points

Impressive_Big3342 , Victor Freitas/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#24

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) "You know how you mainly look through one eye?"

"What? No!"

"You don't mainly look out one eye?"

"No! I look through both my eyes equally!"

"Oh. I thought everyone had a preferred eye, like being right or left handed?"

"No!"

So turns out my left eye is REALLY bad and I'm not just. . . right-eyed.

56points

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Leoninus Fate 1 week ago

Im left eyed..... not my chouse... mainly cause the right one had been blinded since i was 8

11points

rainbowpinkie26 , Korhan Erdol/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#25

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) That some people's minds are just quiet. I thought everyone had an ongoing monolog of their life.

55points

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Hellcaste's Wife 1 week ago

Must be nice. I have an internal monologue that, NO JOKE, has a British accent.

18points

DarkFrostedEcho , Kaboompics.com/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#26

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Putting on socks before bed. I can not sleep without them, yet apparently other people find it strange!

54points

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ZuriLovesYou 1 week ago

My feet get cold without my socks. I need them in bed.

30points

SageIon666 , Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#27

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) PMDD. Every month I would stay quiet about my symptoms because I genuinely thought every one else experiencing menstruation also got extremely angry, exhausted, hopeless and couldn’t stop thinking about wanting to [unalive] themselves and everyone around them. I missed an insane amount of school and got fired from jobs because I could not function for about two weeks out of every month. I only realized I had an issue after seeing someone describe PMDD online. I now use birth control continuously so no periods or hormonal change for me!

52points

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Tamra 1 week ago (edited)

Hormonal changes can be extraordinarily troublesome, and a serious issue that needs to be addressed.

9points

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

See Also on Bored Panda

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#28

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I thought it was normal for everything to hurt. Catching a ball would leave my palm feeling raw and bruised for days. Swinging a baseball bat would hurt my shoulder, my elbow, my hip. I had terrible pain in my hands from when I was about 12, and I remember my grandma saying, "Yeah, you've got the arthritis, too." And that was that.

You know the saying, "No pain, no gain"? I thought that everyone playing every sport or doing any form of exercise was playing through the pain, and I thought I was a serious wimp for not being able to stand it and play through it like they did. My whole family would make fun of me for having such a low pain threshold.

Every day, I'd wake up with pain in every region of my body, for one reason or another. Bonked my knee on a coffee table 6 months ago? Yep, it would still hurt. Wore shoes that pinched my pinkie toe the previous year? Yeah, I'd still be limping from the pain, but I would try really hard not to limp because that would bother my hip. All these pains added up but never went away. Ever since I was little. And I thought this was normal.

I'm 42 now. About 6 months ago, I had an epiphany and asked my husband if I complained about pain a lot. His instant answer was, "Yep." I explained that I only ever tell him about the pains that could impact our day, pains that are unbearable, so we might need to change plans to accommodate - which is maybe 10% of the pain I'm experiencing at any given time. We talked it out and realized that my experience of pain is actually very abnormal.

I've spent the last six months going to specialists, learning pain management, starting a vitamin and medication regimen, and making so.much.progress! It is amazing the things I can do now. I have more energy, more stamina, and more mental clarity because I'm not exhausting myself by being in pain 24/7. It's amazing - I bonk my knee, and it hurts for a minute. Then, I actually forget about it. Because it stops hurting. All my life, a simple bonked knee would cause me pain for months on end. Now, I get hurt, and in a short while, it stops hurting. It stops! I swear, pain never used to stop! It's amazing!!!

Side note - all the people who told me I had a low pain threshold while I was experiencing horrific pain every freaking day of my life can seriously just go f**k themselves.

Edit - I forgot to say what was wrong. The doctors are calling it fibromyalgia, which is "a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals.".

Skyya1982 , Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

52points

POST

Ace 1 week ago

I have FM too, but would love to know how this person is treating it so effectively. For most sufferers it's just a question of taking painkillers, if and when you remember. Yes, I'm often in pain without being aware of it. Right then I just did a body check to find out which bits of me are hurting.

17points

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

See Also on Bored Panda

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#29

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Swimming. I grew up on a lake and was swimming as a baby. I probably spent years of my life in the water. I was shocked when I went to boot camp at Parris Island and half the recruits had never been in a pool, let alone knew how to swim.

_jump_yossarian , mali maeder/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

49points

POST

Acey 1 week ago

I live in a country that has 98% of it covered in water and I don't know how to swim lol

8points

Shonky_Honker , Kampus Production/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#30

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I learned RECENTLY that working out isn’t supposed to hurt, it’s supposed to make you sore, not in like PAIN pain. Turns out I’m actually disabled and I can’t work out most of my upper body becuase of my spinal curvature. #LiveLaughLordosis.

48points

POST

Leoninus Fate 1 week ago

same, weak brittle bones, spinal fluid leaks and just all around messed up, all that plus being 7'4... i use a wheelchair and cane a lot cause its hard to move around

15points

CoralReefer1999 , Khoa Võ/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#31

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Being able to dissociate on command apparently that’s a symptom of my cptsd but for a long time I thought everyone had the ability to just stop feeling all emotions & make the world seem fake like a video game that’s not the case I found that out at 24 when i finally found a good therapist 😂.

47points

POST

Hellcaste's Wife 1 week ago

I did this for years and one day my therapist told me, "You need to stop dissociating. It's interfering with your marriage and raising your children. I think we're going to get you some DBT for your PTSD." I had no idea that's what I was doing when I packed emotions/thoughts/etc away into neat little boxes never to be opened again. DBT changed my life!

11points

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

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#32

Honestly, when I was little I thought most people were hyper insane evangelical Christians like I was raised. I got out of that world in high school. As a kid I knew SOME people weren’t Christian, but I truly thought it was the norm. Now I see that my upbringing was really extreme and bordered on cult.

ApollyonRising Report

43points

POST

Ace 1 week ago

No borders, you really were in a cult. It's often misused as a term by members of one religion to disparage members of another, more extreme one, but in reality nearly all Deistic religions are cults.

21points

brokenVoices , Engin Akyurt/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#33

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I thought that everyone stopped eating dinner together as a family as soon as you learned how to eat without making a giant mess and no longer needed to be supervised while you ate your food. For basically my whole life other than the first few years, everyone in my family has ate dinner in separate areas at different times and I thought that the only families that ate dinner together were religious families.

I quickly discovered how wrong I was and how unconventional my family is. My parents are both functioning alcoholics in denial and did the bare minimum to ensure I had food and made it to school but that was about it. Once I finished elementary school and started going to middle school they were never involved in anything in my life and I moved out at the age of 14 which they had no issues with as long as I was still going to school, which I was.

42points

POST

Stephanie Did It 1 week ago

I'm so sorry for you that you were cruelly deprived of a childhood and family life. I hope things have improved for you.

12points

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

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#34

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Eviction. I thought it was how people moved.

Thinks_22_Much , LA MM/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

38points

POST

Upstaged75 1 week ago

That's sad. Especially for a kid.

14points

#35

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I thought everyone could make their eyes vibrate at will. But nope!

Bartok_and_croutons , Pixabay/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

33points

POST

UncleJohn3000 1 week ago

Physiological nystagmus.

10points

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#36

Constant intrusive thoughts and imagining what-if scenarios of horribly traumatic possible events.

brinncognito Report

27points

POST

Bill 1 week ago

And It can be very complex too. but absolutely none of it ever happens the way you imagine. I was told John Lennon said this, but I'm not sure; "if you worry about something. and then it actually happens. You've lived through it twice."

7points

#37

I thought everyone felt the fabric of their clothes on their body 24/7 and it was normal so no one talked about it, so imagine my surprise when I told some friends and they said this was not normal.

Apparently most people can filter this out???

mochi_chan Report

23points

POST

Debby Keir 1 week ago

I think that everyone can 'feel' the fabric. When you dress in the morning, you feel each piece going on. However, most people's brains will filter this out within a few microseconds to minutes, in order to free up space to think about other stuff. It's their brain, rather than a conscious thing. We 'must' be able to feel something on our skin - how else would we recognise the ruck in our sock, or the stone in the shoe, or the bra strap cutting in.

8points

MsAnnThrope , Los Muertos Crew/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#38

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Ever since I was little I would frequently feel my heart kinda flop around and skip beats. I always thought this was normal until a doctor noticed it during a routine physical exam. He asked if I was nervous about being at the doctor and I told him my heart always does that. Turns out I just have a lot of premature ventricular contractions. My cardiologist told me they're very common but most people don't actually feel them all the time.

21points

POST

Tamra 1 week ago

Honestly, it's incredible that the human heart functions as well as it does most of the time. It's an incredibly complex part of the body.

3points

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

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#39

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I think everyone can unfocus theirs eyes on command, like, make your vision blurry when you want it. Then i found that while not everyone can do it, its pretty common traits to have. i have astimagtism too, which also common.

Hungry_Reporter1214 , love Bluetea/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

21points

POST

Mia Black 1 week ago

I used this to not be scolded for not looking at the teachers. This helped me to look at them but with the blurred vision it doesn't felt like locking eyes and was less weird to me

10points

Aggressive-Foot1960 , Elīna Arāja/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#40

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Honestly, anxiety in general.
I didn’t realize it wasn’t “normal” to have extreme anxiety about things that were absolutely minuscule untill my mid-teens years.

I was joking to a friend that I hoped I would throw up before a party we were going to instead of during and she said “why would you throw up before OR during?” I replied something like “you know, when you get that dizzy,nervous feeling when you know you’re supposed to be somewhere around a group of people so you have to throw up to feel better?” …needless to say she did NOT know what I was talking about and asked have I ever talked to a Dr. about it.I honestly just assumed everyone felt like that when they went to party’s,new places,appointments or just anywhere really.

Ever Since I was a child,I would constantly worry and get anxiety,Sometimes it was even over things that weren’t a big deal, like answering the phone or going to a place I had already been dozens of times. I was constantly thinking someone was mad at me, even if absolutely nothing happened for the thought to even enter my mind.The worst was when I was laying in bed at night and I would just feel this sense of impending doom, as if something terrible was going to happen out of nowhere.

I’m not going to lie, even as an adult it still blows my mind that there are people who don’t experience anxiety on a day to day basis. To those people I say: what’s it like to be Gods favorite? lol!

21points

POST

T'Mar of Vulcan 1 week ago

I hope the poster gets on an SSRI or similar meds. It's like the sun comes up when the anxiety finally subsides.

6points

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

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#41

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Sounds causing actual physical sensations. I don't just mean the sound waves that everyone hears. I'm talking about actual shapes with textures and movements in and around my torso. It turns out I have tactile audio synesthesia. Almost everyone who has any type of synesthesia is surprised when they finally figure out that other people don't experience the world the way that they do.

stupididiot78 , Kaboompics.com/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

21points

POST

Phil Green 1 week ago

When my then girlfriend and I were just dating, I was trying to explain how I have accompanying coloured swirls of dots when I listen to music. I also tried to explain maths in terms of colours. She thought I was slightly weird. I had assumed, for forty years, that everyone saw the world that way. I looked into it and realised both I an my brother had synesthesia. To me it was just normal!

11points

jawshankredemption94 Report

#42

Having my vision go black and falling down after standing up too fast… Yeah I was fully passing out which is not normal 😂.

19points

POST

Marianne 1 week ago (edited)

But it's not uncommon either. I don't have it bad, but I regularly get dizzy when I stand up fast and I have passed out a couple of times. It's especially common among teens who grow fast and tall skinny people (although I am neither).

13points

Current-Research3882 , wendel moretti/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#43

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) Snow Vision Syndrome. I see a bunch of dots in my vision constantly.

18points

POST

Laura Maeflower 1 week ago

Me too! It's like film static.

3points

#44

I grew up in a house overlooking the Saint John River.

It never occurred to me that it was unusual that the river would sometimes be flowing in one direction, and sometimes in the other direction. I thought all rivers did that and it was normal.

(The tides in the Bay of Fundy are so high they cause the lower end of the river to reverse direction for awhile at high tide).

Narissis Report

18points

POST

Debby Keir 1 week ago

Depends on whether you live by a tidal or non tidal river, which also often depends on how near to the coast you are.

8points

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

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#45

Someone asked how I learned to braid my own hair. I explained that I picture in my head what it looks like as if I’m braiding someone else’s hair while braiding my own. Like if I was watching myself. They looked at me like I was crazy and said they cannot do that. I didn’t know it wasn’t a common thing.

frozensunlover Report

18points

POST

Regina Holt 1 week ago

When I had long and wanted it braided, I would pull it up into a ponytail near the top of my head, then bend over to look at my knees position and then would braid upside down.

4points

Apollo_Of_The_Pines , Sueda Gln/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#46

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I thought it was normal to have headaches nearly daily till I brought it up to my former psychiatrist when I was 18. He asked me if I was in any pain because I kept grimacing because my head was hurting so much. He referred me to neurology, it took years but I finally have the headaches mostly under control thanks to medication, PT, and trigger point injections. We also recently found an abortive med that actually works without major side affects.

16points

POST

Verfin22 1 week ago

Had headaches when I awoke everyday. Turns out I clench and grind my jaw while asleep. I now wear a mouth guard, though not dentist made. I eat them up in a month.

11points

#47

I am intolerant to lactose and, in elementary school, would look around wondering how everyone else seemed so comfortable when they *must* be holding in the same amount of air.

Especially odd that I was the only one rattling the halls mid-class to try to find relief without being exposed. Really confused me for years.

-_loveyou_- Report

16points

POST

Tiger 1 week ago (edited)

My high school friend had some bad celiac symptoms until she realized it wasn’t normal to go to the emergency room for abdominal pain twice a month. She thought it was period related. The weird thing is her mum and brother had celiac too so they ate a lot of gluten-free meals at home, and her pain only happened when she ate Subway or something, and the entire family didn’t connect the dots until she was like 14 😅

1point

BubblyFenara , cottonbro studio/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#48

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) I always thought talking to myself out loud was normal until others found it odd.

15points

POST

Leoninus Fate 1 week ago

I do that a lot, used to have my aunt {before she passed} ask "who you talking to?" "Oh just the best people, ME, MYSELF, AND I"

14points

anna-lena-breiert , Valeria Boltneva/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#49

People Confess 35 Things They Did, Believing They Were Normal (They’re Not) My answer : I always thought it was normal for people to have dinner as late as 9 or 10 PM. Growing up, my family would eat really late because my parents worked long hours, and it just became part of our routine. It wasn’t until I started having dinner with friends or staying over at their houses that I realized most families eat around 6 or 7 PM. I remember being so confused like, Wait, you guys eat this early , Now that I think about it, we probably got a lot of weird looks from neighbors for having dinner so late all the time!

12points

POST

Susie Elle 1 week ago

I mean, you decide what time is normal dinner time for you, right? Lots of cultures eat that late.

26points

#50

Getting pain in my jaw with a first bite. Not always, more common with cheddar cheese.

Just thought it was because I hadn’t moved my jaw for a while. Turns out, nobody else in my family knows what I’m talking about.

ribbediguana Report

10points

POST

AlMa 1 week ago

First bite of anything, but especially something sweet for me. She's on the side I chew it on.

6points

#51

Changing my outfit 2-5 times before leaving the house every day. My college roommates were very confused why I couldn’t decide what outfit I would wear. I would always default to my “safe outfit” which was specific shirt with jeans.

mountsunrise Report

9points

POST

Stckynote 1 week ago

because sometimes it doesn't feel right, idk how to explain it just doesn't

4points

Kyiv-born, Vilnius-dwelling writer with a suitcase full of curiosity. My Master's in International Communication fuels my love for exploring different stories. Whether I'm putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), you might catch me out and about with my film camera, cycling around, or on a quest for the perfect coffee spot. Occasionally seen trying to find inner peace on the yoga mat.

Read less »

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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What do you think ?

POST

Lady Miss Pie Premium 1 week ago

I have cataplexy in my hands. If I laugh very hard or I just woke up, I cannot use my hands, they don’t work. I can’t make a fist, or use them in anyway way. I thought it was normal until five years ago when I mentioned it to my doctor and she told me what it was—she also never met someone with cataplexy until me! lol

12points

Tiger 1 week ago

How long does it last? That’s very interrsting! I guess no one should tell you jokes while you’re driving or anything 😂

3points

Traveling Lady Railfan 1 week ago

I have an amazingly keen sense of smell for...get this...cat urine. Dried and years old or even fresh by seconds (fresh and old has different smell though). I worked in research and development of enzyme cleaners for pet accidents and had to smell a LOT of cat pee samples. Yup. That's a thing.

5points

Littlemiss 1 week ago

My god is could have a new career. My sense of smell drives me up the wall.

2points

Leroy bruyn 1 week ago

I thought everyone figured stuff out like a computer. Turns out it's just me doing the if/then think to deal with everything in my life.

4points

similarly 1 week ago

I always assumed computer if-then statements were based on how people normally think.

3points

Mia Black 1 week ago

my spine tickles when hot air comes near or when the dentist has to work with the drill - I always have to put my hand behind my back (pressing against the spine) to suppress it because honestly, nobody wants to twitch when the drill is in their mouth! Blow-drying my hair tickles too much, I can't do that. or stand with my back to a heating lamp. But I'm also generally ticklish (I can tickle myself, it tickles when I run my fingers over my own palm or sometimes gently touch the ceiling off my mouth with my tongue..

4points

Anne Nyheim 1 week ago

My spine too!!! Or rather, a little bit right of spine, about kidney position. To me the worst thing is going to the hairdresser, especially if they use the buzzer in my neck. The dentistry has too much trauma for me

1point

similarly 1 week ago

I never realized I had hypochondria until I read up on it. Of course, my doctor says it's all in my head, but that's just what THEY want us to believe! Actually, the first time I read about "Exploding Head Syndrome" it really surprised me. I had NO idea there was a word for that!

3points

Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 week ago

I have music in my head CONSTANTLY. It's like a radio station. Sometimes I dissociate cause it's so loud. I even think (jokingly of course), 'I can't believe no one else can hear how loud the music is, coming out of my ears.' I never remember a time when I didn't have an earworm of one song or another.

3points

Littlemiss 1 week ago

I hear odd noises, voices, music etc. So it's not just me?

2points

BrunoVI 1 week ago

We used to dig trenches, and cover them up with branches and then tarp and then twigs and leaves, so we'd have an underground fort for when WWIII broke out. Just the kids... on our own... it was on that gray area between play and instinctive survival training that makes parents nervous to witness. But anyone born between 1955 and 1980 was raised to expect nuclear armageddon.

3points

Huddo's sister 1 week ago

Posting comments I realised I relate to a lot, if not most of these. That's probably weird, so many occurring in one person, but I've always managed to 'collect' health problems. I've been on so many different meds over the years, since I was about 14.

2points

Racing Tadpole 1 week ago

Photic sneezing when exposed to sunlight, its amusing.

2points

Noyfb noyfb 1 week ago

I have a friend who gets that sneeze reaction to sunlight. He and his wife were taking their first child, newborn, from the hospital for the first time. When they walked outside into the sunlight, that tiny infant immediately sneezed.

4points

Lisa T 1 week ago

I thought everyone sneezed at the sun. I didn’t realize there was such a thing as an inner monologue, I didn’t realise people could actually see images in their mind - I thought “In your mind’s eye” and “picture this” meant think about something.

2points

pebs 1 week ago

During my childhood/adolescence, I had a horrible sensation when touching newspaper paper, especially with wet hands. Now it has been many years since it happens to me anymore.

2points

1 week ago

I learned at age 18 that it's not normal to always see double, sort of like everything is like a Venn diagram. hahaha oops

1point

Andrewsarchus42 5 days ago

Genuinely thought that hearing ringing in my ears on a very regular basis for as long as I could remember was normal. Nope. I’ve had tinnitus for basically my whole life

0points

Andrewsarchus42 5 days ago

Also thought that everyone else struggled to understand social situations but I was the only one who couldn’t hide it. Nope. Autism

0points

August 6 days ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

POST

Lady Miss Pie Premium 1 week ago

12points

Tiger 1 week ago

How long does it last? That’s very interrsting! I guess no one should tell you jokes while you’re driving or anything 😂

3points

Traveling Lady Railfan 1 week ago

5points

Littlemiss 1 week ago

My god is could have a new career. My sense of smell drives me up the wall.

2points

Leroy bruyn 1 week ago

I thought everyone figured stuff out like a computer. Turns out it's just me doing the if/then think to deal with everything in my life.

4points

similarly 1 week ago

I always assumed computer if-then statements were based on how people normally think.

3points

Mia Black 1 week ago

4points

Anne Nyheim 1 week ago

1point

similarly 1 week ago

3points

Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 week ago

3points

Littlemiss 1 week ago

I hear odd noises, voices, music etc. So it's not just me?

2points

BrunoVI 1 week ago

3points

Huddo's sister 1 week ago

2points

Racing Tadpole 1 week ago

Photic sneezing when exposed to sunlight, its amusing.

2points

Noyfb noyfb 1 week ago

4points

Lisa T 1 week ago

2points

pebs 1 week ago

During my childhood/adolescence, I had a horrible sensation when touching newspaper paper, especially with wet hands. Now it has been many years since it happens to me anymore.

2points

1 week ago

I learned at age 18 that it's not normal to always see double, sort of like everything is like a Venn diagram. hahaha oops

1point

Andrewsarchus42 5 days ago

Genuinely thought that hearing ringing in my ears on a very regular basis for as long as I could remember was normal. Nope. I’ve had tinnitus for basically my whole life

0points

Andrewsarchus42 5 days ago

Also thought that everyone else struggled to understand social situations but I was the only one who couldn’t hide it. Nope. Autism

0points