• Anna said on Jul 03, 2006....

  Those Oprah shows raise some good questions, don't they? It's true...telling a stranger something intensely personal is easier- maybe because it won't hurt so much if they judge us as when a loved one/friend would, because those who are closer to us have a larger imprint on our lives. As personal secrets, mine is very similar to yours...I know what it's like with depression and hiding it from everyone. Thankfully that's over now! It's great that you got help, though- and I hope all goes well for you :o)

• lidstrom82 said on Jul 04, 2006....

  Our society is more socially isolated than maybe ever before, mainly because of technology - the Internet - blogs. blogs aren't inherently evil, but if we share all our secrets and dirty laundry to complete strangers, we do nothing to fix the problems in our lives. Blogs can also be hotbeds for gossip, rumors, idle talk, stuff that is entertaining but doesn't help anything in the long run. Others might have blogs as the only outlet to share with people because no one else can/will listen. I've found that this blog allows me to learn a great deal about others, gives me a chance to encourage people with my faith, and allows for interaction apart from normal everyday life. It has its pitfalls, but we can avoid that by being honest with the people around us - even if it's hard and it sucks!

• FaithfulDisciple said on Jul 04, 2006....

  It's easier to bare one's soul to strangers since there is no fear or risk of rejection. The only thing that a stranger can offer is a ready and willing ear to listen and if we get lucky a good piece of advice. Rejection doesn't hurt if we are not in any way related at all to those who reject us.

• starlightstarbright said on Jul 05, 2006....

  allaroundgirl, I know exactly what you are saying. In the past , I have been judged pretty harshly by my friends and family for the things that I do with my life. The thing to remember is that people who are close to you have their own agendas as well, and if what you do or believe doesn't align with what they think, this often causes problems. In my own life, I have seen this happen many times over. In a way, we're sort of trapped by the situations our friends and families put us in, and it leaves us no other option than to turn to unbiased strangers, people who don't have a stake in our lives. I think it's therapeutic. The people I thought would support me in my dreams have been the ones to tear me down. I also turned to internet chatrooms for a while. I still do from time to time, just to get another opinion, independent of my family and friends. Just remember one thing. Only you can make the right decisions for your life. Only you can assess your own worth. You are a great person, capable of accomplishing great things. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I did, and it nearly tore me apart.

• hunter_boyce_chandler said on Jul 08, 2006....

  allaround... Your secret belies a deep seated self loathing. What bad thing are you blaming yourself for child that it would necessitate such disfigurement. Did someone else tell you you were bad? Did someone else make you hurt yourself? Your secret is a cry for help. We are listening.

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