Good friendships are hard to come by.
Have you ever scrolled through your Facebook feed and really looked at who your "friends were?" Do they all deserve that distinction over being called acquaintances?
While it's perfectly fine to add whomever you want to your friends list on your multiple social media platforms, it is interesting to think about which one of them would go the extra mile for you and have your back.
Strangers online revealed they found out the hard way who their so-called friends were when Redditor mediastoosocial asked:
"What's the sh*ttiest way a friend has shown you they weren't really your friend?"
Silent Treatment
These Redditors were ignored by people who were too cowardly to have honest conversations.
Death Of A Friendship
"Ghosted me after 20+ years of friendship. He was my best friend for as long as I can remember but at some point he just stopped saying yes when I suggested getting together. We could have a conversation about anything but the second I brought up doing something it was radio silence. He finally agreed to something then blew me off like an hour beforehand. No raincheck or suggestion we try again. I was depressed for days but that was the day I gave up."
"He was the best man at my wedding. I loved him like a brother and still hope he's doing well and happy. But the rejection hurts so much that I just don't try anymore. I've mourned the death of our relationship and am done with it. And I still don't know why."
You're On Your Own
"After 25 years of friendship...I announced to my best friend that I was moving to the city she was in. I had a great job opportunity and felt like it was an awesome time to make a big life change. I was so excited to tell her, I could hardly wait. She flatly replied with, 'cool'...and when I asked her what parts of town I should look at to live she stated 'I can't help you, you should just figure it out when you get here'. We never had a fight, had been close for our entire adult lives and I had continually helped her in all aspects of her life without hesitation. To this day, I cannot tell you why she started treating me this way. Long story short, we live in the same city and haven't seen each other in 6 years. And I'm quite sure we live minutes away from each other. I will prob never know what happened."
Repeat Offender
"I gave her a birthday present and she just said she didn't like it and found it in the thrash when I visited."
"She would always be late to everything."
"She got tickets to an Incubus concert and a meet and greet, it wasn't in our city so I saved all of my money to be able to afford the trip and a week before she texted me saying she was going to Disneyland so she sold the tickets."
"I painted a whole big beautiful mural in her room and two months later just painted over it with purple cause she got bored."
"Invited me for coffee and I got really excited because I hadn't seen her for a while and had a lot going on, I was almost homeless at the time so I took the little money I had to pay for my coffee, I got there and it was a MLM with like six other people (just as disappointed as me)."
"Then she did it again, I don't know why I thought it would be different, that's the last time I saw her."
– Kovvacs
The Worthy Replacement
"I had 12 hours before I deployed to Afghanistan. I lived about 6 hours from my point of departure (airport from which I would fly into theater) and my friend/ex-girlfriend had committed to driving me there on that day. Packed, dressed, goodbyes said, I take an Uber to her house with all my gear and baggage ready to go. I knock on the door and she answers in her robe. I ask her if she was about ready and she proceeds to tell me that she forgot (after we had talked 2 days prior) and that she really wasn't feeling like driving that distance. Utterly shocked and confused, I explain to her that if I miss my flight, it's considered a 'failure to report for duty' and I could be considered a deserter or AWOL.
Heavy consequences for it either way. She told me to figure it out and closed the door. At that point I had no idea what to do so I called my first sergeant. We worked in a very remote location and he was the closest person to me at that point. That man drove the 3 hours from his home to get me and then the other 6 hours to the airport. Bought me dinner and got me tipsy before I had to get on my flight. I had the stunning realization that day that you really can't trust anyone, but I gained a lifelong friend as a result. We still talk regularly 'til this day!"
Ditched On Graduation
"They all bailed on my college graduation and graduation party. And then accidentally included me on an email thread about all of them coming up with different excuses for missing my big day. It made me feel incredibly alone and I had no idea that they viewed me in such a negative light. As an adult I realize they were jealous...but back then, just assumed I had a major character flaw and started isolating myself from people."
Reddit Users Share Their Best 'It's A Small World After All' Experience
Deceptions
Lies and infidelity are not what define friendships.
After The Affair
"My best friend got with my first husband while I was pregnant, helped destroy our marriage, supported him so he could quit his job and avoid paying child support, joined him in abusing my kids while they were with him, and then tried to cry on my shoulder when he ended up screwing her over when they split after 14 years of jointly making my life a living hell."
When Lending A Hand Backfires
"Let a guy stay on the couch in my one-bedroom apartment so he wouldn't be living in his car. A few weeks later, he was sleeping with my girlfriend. I found out and kicked them both to the curb. 6 or 8 months later he calls me out of the blue and apologizes, then tells me she cheated on him and asks if he can move back in! Gave him a hard no and hung up on him. Last I heard from or of him."
Abandoned
"Promised to invite me to a group outing, only to text me one day out of the blue that they already left and 'oh well.' From mutual friends who went on the outing, they told me that this friend never told them that I was invited."
– Ahstia
Unnecessary Lie
"In 8th grade, after I switched schools, a friend of mine called me one night and told me a kid I wanted to be friends with killed himself. 3 months later I visit their graduation ceremony and find out he lied to me and that the kid was still alive."
Getting Beat Up
These Redditors recalled being involved in physical altercations.
Unpleasant Surprise
"Long time ago, but my tenth birthday party. The first time I'd actually tried to have a big group, it was around thirty kids at a park with a t-ball set up, normal picnic stuff, the like. My best friend at the time said he had a surprise for me in one of the fenced walkways leading to the park, where he sucker punched me and his other friend and he took turns jumping on and kicking me. After a few minutes another kid from the party saw, ran them off, and took me back to my ma away from the other kids so I didn't have to be too embarrassed."
The Confrontation
"My best friend since middle school got me knocked unconscious after starting a confrontation with a large group of guys. Proceeded to tell everyone we worked with that I had started it. Few weeks later I had returned from a holiday to my home country and he had moved one of his friends into my room at the place we were renting. Never talked to him again."
The Big Push
"This guy pushed me into the ground for no reason mid-sentence when he knew I was still injured from a car accident (which he knew I was hospitalized for). He then immediately turned his back and walked away without a word. I was too shocked to say anything immediately and he was gone. I wasn't saying anything bad or mean to him either, it was something casual akin to the weather. After that I had to slowly and carefully get up front my crouching position by myself and sat myself on a nearby fence to gather myself... When I later confronted him about it, he got super defensive saying it was just a light shove and a prank :/
Super not okay, I had to strain my back muscles really uncomfortably just so I wouldn't hit the ground and I don't think anyone should live in constant fear that their 'friend'" might at any minute risk paralyzing them for life just to get a cheap laugh.
"This same guy also kept parroting something my abuser said which I told the group in confidence. I told him to stop but he said he wouldn't and that I was being too 'PC' as if my personal story is something to be politically correct about???? I trust some people less now. No one seemed to care or stand up for me or anything and I felt utterly alone..."
"I do not talk to this guy anymore..."
The Potential Murderer
"They tried to drown me."
"For proper context we were doing a swim class in school, I did talk to a few teachers and the principal but none of them did anything so I at the time just figured nothing would come out of it if I kept on trying, though I do wish I did get something done about it legally."
– Saellios
Many of the Redditors in the thread expressed disappointment after someone whom they thought was a friend inexplicably ignored them.
People change and friendships evolve over time; however, that is no reason to deny a person of any sort of communication if one reaches out to the other.
Moving on from friendships happens, and it's fine.
It would be wise not to gain an enemy by disrespecting someone with whom you used to call a friend.
Experiencing death is a fascinating and frightening idea.
Who doesn't want to know what is waiting for us on the other side?
But so many of us want to know and then come back and live a little longer.
It would be so great to be sure there is something else.
But the whole dying part is not that great, so we'll have to rely on other people's accounts.
Redditor AlaskaStiletto wanted to hear from everyone who has returned to life, so they asked:
"Redditors who have 'died' and come back to life, what did you see?"
Sensations
Happy Good Vibes GIF by Major League SoccerGiphy"My dad's heart stopped when he had a heart attack and he had to be brought back to life. He kept the paper copy of the heart monitor which shows he flatlined. He said he felt an overwhelming sensation of peace, like nothing he had felt before."
PeachesnPain
Recovery
"I had surgical complications in 2010 that caused a great deal of blood loss. As a result, I had extremely low blood pressure and could barely stay awake. I remember feeling like I was surrounded by loved ones who had passed. They were in a circle around me and I knew they were there to guide me onwards. I told them I was not ready to go because my kids needed me and I came back."
"My nurse later said she was afraid she’d find me dead every time she came into the room."
"It took months, and blood transfusions, but I recovered."
good_golly99
Take Me Back
"Overwhelming peace and happiness. A bright airy and floating feeling. I live a very stressful life. Imagine finding out the person you have had a crush on reveals they have the same feelings for you and then you win the lotto later that day - that was the feeling I had."
"I never feared death afterward and am relieved when I hear of people dying after suffering from an illness."
rayrayrayray
Free
The Light Minnie GIF by (G)I-DLEGiphy"I had a heart surgery with near-death experience, for me at least (well the possibility that those effects are caused by morphine is also there) I just saw black and nothing else but it was warm and I had such inner peace, its weird as I sometimes still think about it and wish this feeling of being so light and free again."
TooReDTooHigh
This is why I hate surgery.
You just never know.
Shocked
Giphy"More of a near-death experience. I was electrocuted. I felt like I was in a deep hole looking straight up in the sky. My life flashed before me. Felt sad for my family, but I had a deep sense of peace."
Admirable_Buyer6528
The SOB
"Nursing in the ICU, we’ve had people try to die on us many times during the years, some successfully. One guy stood out to me. His heart stopped. We called a code, are working on him, and suddenly he comes to. We hadn’t vented him yet, so he was able to talk, and he started screaming, 'Don’t let them take me, don’t let them take me, they are coming,' he was scared and yelling."
"Then he yelled a little more, as we tried to calm him down, he screamed, 'No, No,' and gestured towards the end of the bed, and died again. We didn’t get him back. It was seriously creepy. We called his son to tell him the news, and the son said basically, 'Good, he was an SOB.'”
1-cupcake-at-a-time
Colors
"My sister died and said it was extremely peaceful. She said it was very loud like a train station and lots of talking and she was stuck in this area that was like a curtain with lots of beautiful colors (colors that you don’t see in real life according to her) a man told her 'He was sorry, but she had to go back as it wasn’t her time.'"
Hannah_LL7
"I had a really similar experience except I was in an endless garden with flowers that were colors I had never seen before. It was quiet and peaceful and a woman in a dress looked at me, shook her head, and just said 'Not yet.' As I was coming back, it was extremely loud, like everyone in the world was trying to talk all at once. It was all very disorienting but it changed my perspective on life!"
huntokarrr
The Fog
"I was in a gray fog with a girl who looked a lot like a young version of my grandmother (who was still alive) but dressed like a pioneer in the 1800s she didn't say anything but kept pulling me towards an opening in the wall. I kept refusing to go because I was so tired."
"I finally got tired of her nagging and went and that's when I came to. I had bled out during a c-section and my heart could not beat without blood. They had to deliver the baby and sew up the bleeders. refill me with blood before they could restart my heart so, like, at least 12 minutes gone."
Fluffy-Hotel-5184
Through the Walls
"My spouse was dead for a couple of minutes one miserable night. She maintains that she saw nothing, but only heard people talking about her like through a wall. The only thing she remembers for absolute certain was begging an ER nurse that she didn't want to die."
"She's quite alive and well today."
Hot-Refrigerator6583
Well let's all be happy to be alive.
It seems to be all we have.
Trying to lose weight is a struggle understood by many people regardless of size.
The goal of reaching a healthy weight may seem unattainable, but with diet and exercise, it can pay off through persistence and discipline.
Seeing the pounds gradually drop off can also be a great motivator and incentivize people to stay the course.
Those who've achieved their respective weight goals shared their experiences when Redditor apprenti8455 asked:
"People who lost a lot of weight, what surprises you the most now?"
Redditors didn't see these coming.
Shiver Me Timbers
"I’m always cold now!"
– Telrom_1
"I had a coworker lose over 130 pounds five or six years ago. I’ve never seen him without a jacket on since."
– r7ndom
"140 lbs lost here starting just before COVID, I feel like that little old lady that's always cold, damn this top comment was on point lmao."
– mr_remy
Drawing Concern
"I lost 100 pounds over a year and a half but since I’m old(70’s) it seems few people comment on it because (I think) they think I’m wasting away from some terminal illness."
– dee-fondy
"Congrats on the weight loss! It’s honestly a real accomplishment 🙂"
"Working in oncology, I can never comment on someone’s weight loss unless I specifically know it was on purpose, regardless of their age. I think it kind of ruffles feathers at times, but like I don’t want to congratulate someone for having cancer or something. It’s a weird place to be in."
– LizardofDeath
Unleashing Insults
"I remember when I lost the first big chunk of weight (around 50 lbs) it was like it gave some people license to talk sh*t about the 'old' me. Old coworkers, friends, made a lot of not just negative, but harsh comments about what I used to look like. One person I met after the big loss saw a picture of me prior and said, 'Wow, we wouldn’t even be friends!'”
"It wasn’t extremely common, but I was a little alarmed by some of the attention. My weight has been up and down since then, but every time I gain a little it gets me a little down thinking about those things people said."
– alanamablamaspama
Not Everything Goes After Losing Weight
"The loose skin is a bit unexpected."
– KeltarCentauri
"I haven’t experienced it myself, but surgery to remove skin takes a long time to recover. Longer than bariatric surgery and usually isn’t covered by insurance unless you have both."
– KatMagic1977
"It definitely does take a long time to recover. My Dad dropped a little over 200 pounds a few years back and decided to go through with skin removal surgery to deal with the excess. His procedure was extensive, as in he had skin taken from just about every part of his body excluding his head, and he went through hell for weeks in recovery, and he was bedridden for a lot of it."
– Jaew96
These Redditors shared their pleasantly surprising experiences.
Shopping
"I can buy clothes in any store I want."
– WaySavvyD
"When I lost weight I was dying to go find cute, smaller clothes and I really struggled. As someone who had always been restricted to one or two stores that catered to plus-sized clothing, a full mall of shops with items in my size was daunting. Too many options and not enough knowledge of brands that were good vs cheap. I usually went home pretty frustrated."
– ganache98012
No More Symptoms
"Lost about 80 pounds in the past year and a half, biggest thing that I’ve noticed that I haven’t seen mentioned on here yet is my acid reflux and heartburn are basically gone. I used to be popping tums every couple hours and now they just sit in the medicine cabinet collecting dust."
– colleennicole93
Expanding Capabilities
"I'm all for not judging people by their appearance and I recognise that there are unhealthy, unachievable beauty standards, but one thing that is undeniable is that I can just do stuff now. Just stamina and flexibility alone are worth it, appearance is tertiary at best."
– Ramblonius
People Change Their Tune
"How much nicer people are to you."
"My feet weren't 'wide' they were 'fat.'"
– LiZZygsu
"Have to agree. Lost 220 lbs, people make eye contact and hold open doors and stuff"
"And on the foot thing, I also lost a full shoe size numerically and also wear regular width now 😅"
– awholedamngarden
It's gonna take some getting used to.
Bones Everywhere
"Having bones. Collarbones, wrist bones, knee bones, hip bones, ribs. I have so many bones sticking out everywhere and it’s weird as hell."
– Princess-Pancake-97
"I noticed the shadow of my ribs the other day and it threw me, there’s a whole skeleton in here."
– bekastrange
Knee Pillow
"Right?! And they’re so … pointy! Now I get why people sleep with pillows between their legs - the knee bones laying on top of each other (side sleeper here) is weird and jarring."
– snic2030
"I lost only 40 pounds within the last year or so. I’m struggling to relate to most of these comments as I feel like I just 'slimmed down' rather than dropped a ton. But wow, the pillow between the knees at night. YES! I can relate to this. I think a lot of my weight was in my thighs. I never needed to do this up until recently."
– Strongbad23
More Mobility
"I’ve lost 100 lbs since 2020. It’s a collection of little things that surprise me. For at least 10 years I couldn’t put on socks, or tie my shoes. I couldn’t bend over and pick something up. I couldn’t climb a ladder to fix something. Simple things like that I can do now that fascinate me."
"Edit: Some additional little things are sitting in a chair with arms, sitting in a booth in a restaurant, being able to shop in a normal store AND not needing to buy the biggest size there, being able to easily wipe my butt, and looking down and being able to see my penis."
– dma1965
People making significant changes, whether for mental or physical health, can surely find a newfound perspective on life.
But they can also discover different issues they never saw coming.
That being said, overcoming any challenge in life is laudable, especially if it leads to gaining confidence and ditching insecurities.