Academic Failure

I Flunked Out of My Dream

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Darlene's story

I was cut adrift from a lifelong dream, the sure anchor that had carried me through long years of study.

Adoption

Life Is Not an Accident

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Julie's story

As a teen, I realized that I could very easily have been aborted. I would never have known what it meant to build a sandcastle or smell a flower or listen to great music or have a good friend. I'd never have fallen in love. I started to rethink what my birth mother had done.

Adult Child of Divorce

A Tough Transition

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Carson's story

I thought my parents would stay together until they died — you know, just like they promised in their vows.

Alcohol Addiction

My Life, Wasted

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Aaron's story

Alcohol never forced itself into my hand. It never pushed its way down my throat. And it never asked to be abused by me. Those choices were all mine.

Alcoholic Parents

Home Is Where The Harm Is

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Mike's story

In grade three a friend told me, "I can't sleep over because my parents say your mom and dad are drunks." That was the moment it hit me: my family isn't normal.

Amputation

A Long, Difficult Road

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Wm Dean's story

When I lost my leg, my whole world was turned upside down. This is my story…

Anorexia

Just a Few More Pounds...

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Karen's story

I began to equate love with being thin. Still, on the outside, I worked hard to make it look like I had it all together.

Anxiety

My Mind is a Scary Place

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Hazelle's story

In my imagination, I’ve been diagnosed, incarcerated, fired, divorced, and buried. My mind is a scary place to be sometimes.

Arthritis

A Progressive Regression

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Shauna's story

It wasn’t like my body crumbled at once. I didn’t suddenly lose movement in my fingers, toes, shoulders, elbows, spine, jaw, and knees. For me, it was a slow, painful progression of immobility.

Autism

Lights, Chaos, Action!

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Bonnie's story

I’ve always felt different from other people. I didn’t always know why I was different, or what I did that made me different — I still don’t realize it sometimes.

Being a Stepfather

The Emotional Gauntlet

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Tom's story

There’s been such a huge loss. A large part of their soul was gutted when their family was ripped apart. It took me too long to truly understand the pain they had been through.

Being Single

Alone, Everafter

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Tia's story

Good things come to those who wait. At least, that’s what I’ve been told. But I’ve been waiting a long time. I don’t know when, or even if, I’ll find love. That’s the hardest part of being single.

Blended Family

Caring for the Wounded

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Caramel's story

“You know, mom, blood is thicker than water.” The words were biting, hard to receive. The undertone of my son's comment was clear: "you should have prioritized me above your new husband."

Brain Aneurysm

My Life On Hold

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Don's story

I found myself in the E.R. with a brain aneurysm. It took a huge toll on me physically and mentally. My family went through their own trauma as they watched me suffer.

Broken Family

Don’t Make Me Take Your Place, Dad

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Rand's story

How can a boy expect to fill Dad’s shoes when he leaves?

Bullying

Living In Fear

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Claire's story

I learned the language of silence. Keep your head down. Don’t say a word. Try to be invisible. Maybe if they forget you’re here it will stop. It didn’t stop.

Burnout

Too Much Of A Good Thing

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Debbie's story

I know that taking care of myself – body, mind, soul and spirit - needs to be my first priority. I’m still on a journey to find balance in life.

Cancer

Nobody is Promised Tomorrow

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Mike's story

Shortly after having my blood tested, a nurse called and said, "You have to come to Emergency right now." I soon learned I only had 3 to 6 months left.

Cancer Recurrence

Isn’t once enough?

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Katy's story

Going through the agony of chemo is horrid. But what happens when the cancer comes back, right when you thought you’d beat it for good?

Chronic Pain

When Everything Hurts

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Anne-Marie's story

I never know when it will hit me, nor why. Some days, I can do everything I have planned. I can even enjoy biking, hiking, or snowshoeing. But then, it hits me yet again.

Concussions

My Life Stopped

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Brett's story

I’ve always been ambitious, motivated, and focused on success. Because of multiple head injuries I spent three years in bed.

COVID-19 Testing Positive

Testing Positive: Is this real life?

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Nurse T's story

Indefinite quarantine meant that now, not only did I have the virus that was igniting fear worldwide, but I couldn’t go back to work and I didn’t know when I could.

COVID-19 Uncertainty

An Unexpected Turn of Events

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Anonymous's story

News that would normally be cause for relief and joy was just another twist and turn on my emotional roller coaster.

Dating the Wrong Guy

It Felt So Right

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Julie's story

I felt truly pretty for the first time in my life. Sunshine covered my world. Being with him made me feel great. But then things changed.

Debt

It's Payback Time

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Beth's story

I was constantly spending more on things than I needed to. I felt trapped and unable to control my money. It was controlling me.

Depression

Hello Darkness My Old Friend

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Tia's story

I get trapped in this dark place where there’s nothing to do but sleep or cry until my head pounds. On those days, just getting out of bed is a triumph that I need to acknowledge.

Discrimination

Life is Hard... Especially if You are Different

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Vincent's story

Life is hard in general, but for those of us who are perceived as different, it can be especially hard.

Divorce

When Forever Ends

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Daniel's story

The American dream was lining up for us. We were living the life. But there was still this unhappiness, like a buzz in the background that never went away.

Divorced Parents

Standing There... All Alone

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Irene's story

I became a very quiet child, no longer the happy kid I used to be. I wanted answers. “Why did my mom leave me?” was all I could think about.

Domestic Violence

Living With The Enemy

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Caroline's story

He used to lock me outside our house with no shoes or coat, rage at me for an hour or more, and make me doubt my sanity. When he hit me, it was the last straw.

Drug Addiction

A Prescription For Failure

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Dave's story

I was always counting down the days until I could get my prescription refilled. Eventually it came to the point where pills became the most important thing in my life.

Emotional Abandonment

Nothing Left To Give

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Elma's story

I needed him to listen and show that he cared about how I felt – to look me in the eyes and be present so I’d know he had my back. But this wasn't something he knew how to do.

Fatherhood

The Dad I Want To Be

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Richard's story

Whole days can pass by without any heart-felt communication with my kids whatsoever.

Fatherless

In and Out of Prison

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Preston's story

Alone with my thoughts in solitary confinement, my worst fear was never seeing my daughter again. I didn’t want to be the father that my father was to me.

Fear of Death

The End

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Dennis's story

At 63, I was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, caused by a rare case of pneumonia that I never knew I had. My lungs were completely black. The situation was dire.

Fear of Failure

I Just Can't

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Qing's story

I didn’t even want to try taking a risk; defeat was unacceptable, shameful, and had consequences that affected everyone around you.

Financial Stress

Pocket Strain

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Matt's story

For many dark nights over the course of many months, I tossed and turned, consumed with anxiety by the state of our financial situation.

Food Addiction

Hungry For Comfort

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Mary's story

Anytime life got to be more than I could bear, I found comfort knowing food was available to me when I wanted it. I would eat even when I wasn’t hungry.

Gambling

All Bets Are Off

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Sandy's story

My life spun out of control. I lost two homes and nearly lost my marriage because of my addiction.

Gender Stereotypes

I Don't Fit the Mold

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Anne-Marie's story

I was different from most girls I knew. I wanted to be a boy.

Grief

How Do I Live Without My Dad?

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Catherine's story

Everything happened so fast, I didn’t know what to do. I was only eight years old, and had the childlike faith that he would come back to me soon.

Grief

My Mom Should Be Here

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Hazelle's story

This is one of the most painful realities of being the one left behind. From now on, they’re going to miss every birthday, every anniversary, every Christmas morning.

Growing Up Biracial

Between Two Worlds

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Iona's story

It was as if I did not fit in any of the categories offered by society.

Identity Crisis

That's Not Me Anymore

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Tia's story

I would daydream about someone seeing my flaws and loving me anyway. It took me a long time to find my identity in something that goes beyond my skills or appearance.

Infant Death

Incompatible With Life

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Serenity & Chris's story

Our son Samuel was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 at twenty weeks gestation. We were told that this made him incompatible with life. We were given the option, but chose not to terminate.

Infertility

Too Scared to Hope

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Paola & Camilo's story

Our New Year’s resolution for 2015 was to get pregnant. That might sound like a simple thing to some, but for us it was a huge and intimidating goal. It would take a miracle.

Job Loss

Your Services Are No Longer Required

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Claire's story

I felt just about everything: anger, sadness, confusion, embarrassment. I remember saying it out loud: I just lost my job.

Loneliness

Still Trying to Belong

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Denver's story

There are people all around me, interacting with each other, having fun together: but I’m sitting here alone.

Miscarriage

Mourning Sickness

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Winsome's story

“Your baby has not developed further.” This can’t be. It must be a mix-up. When would I wake up from this nightmare?

Multiple Fears

Paralysed by Fear

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Dorothy's story

With a pandemic raging, what can be done in the face of fear?

My Abortion

The Mourning After

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Caramel's story

It seemed like getting an abortion was the right thing to do at the time. I wasn’t prepared for the emotional whirlwind that came soon after.

My Daughter's Suicide

When No Cure Comes

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Darlene's story

Even though I knew she would never be like everyone else her age, I still hoped she would be happy.

My Husband's Drug Addiction

The Consequences Of Recovery

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Deborah's story

When he was late for work, when checks bounced, when he was caught in a lie, I blamed everything but the pills.

My Husband's Porn addiction

Hardcore Betrayal

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Maureen's story

The one person who I assumed considered me unique, irreplaceable, and desirable was choosing to channel his sexual energy towards a screen instead of me.

Online Dating

Seeking Her Approval

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Jason's story

I craved to feel valued and accepted by women. I thought online dating was the solution. I was wrong.

Porn

Alone in my Shame

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Stacia's story

For the entire two years I was trapped in my destructive addiction, I didn't know even one female who also struggled with it.

Porn

No More Dirty Looks

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Jeff's story

The intimacy porn promised was proving to be an illusion. I was trapped, wanting the fix without the consequences – the pleasure without feeling ashamed.

Postpartum OCD

What I Didn't Expect When I Was Expecting

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Cindy's story

I lived in fear of myself, and when I looked at my son, I thought it was sad and strange that I had to include myself in the list of people he needed to be protected from.

Prostitution

Too High a Price

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Kayla's story

At first it was a game to us, a kind of joke. We made a lot of money, got drunk, did drugs. We thought it was fun. But it all escalated really quickly.

PTSD from Childhood Trauma

The Weight I Carry

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Julie's story

I dealt with a lot as a child. Stability and security were foreign concepts to me. I thought I beat the odds and survived. Unfortunately, the cost of that survival was high. My PTSD laid dormant until a new event brought it back to life.

PTSD from Policing

From Dream to Nightmare

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MJ's story

After a few years of policing, I began to crack. I was no longer easy-going and fun. I became an angry guy capable of hurting those that I loved the most.

Purity

Every Date Was a Battle

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Anonymous's story

As the years went on, the fight for purity in our relationship only got more and more difficult.

Rape

Still Worthy of Love

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Tonia's story

After swimming in a motel pool, a man followed up alongside me. "Just wanna walk you to your room, make sure everything's all safe for you." When it was over, he ran a bath for me. I was still in that cold water when they found me in the morning.

Remarriage

Oversized Baggage

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Michael's story

I couldn’t give her the life she wanted. Maybe I wasn’t such a great catch for her after all; my broken past and messy life were smothering her.

Self-Isolation

Why Me?

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Gregg's story

I had been very careful on the plane, in the airports, and in my hotel, but because of the increased risk, I was stuck at home for two weeks.

Sex Addiction

In the Grip of Insatiable Hunger

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Melissa's story

It was the need for sex that prompted my reckless drinking. That way I wouldn’t remember the deplorable things I had done to gain the attention of a guy.

Sexless Marriage

Distance Made His Heart Grow Colder

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Juliet's story

The few times we were intimate it was mechanical and void of emotion on his part. Then it stopped all together. In a bizarre way, his distancing made facing his death a lot easier. He inadvertently prepared me for widowhood.

Sexual Exploitation

Hidden Things

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Maureen's story

Soon after I turned 15, one night on the swings at the park, he kissed me for the first time. Then everything escalated.

Sexually Abused

Recovering My Stolen Self

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Shane's story

My past kept haunting me. I had to face the secret that was hidden deep inside my heart.

Single Fatherhood

In Over My Head

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Matt's story

All I wanted was to be a dad and to give my daughter the love and fatherly attention I never received from my own.

Single Motherhood

I'm Mom Enough

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Linda's story

Sometimes my reality was working two jobs to make ends meet while I was raising my girls. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, and my ex told me he didn’t think I would.

Special Needs Children

Longing For Normalcy

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Judith's story

There are days when I have a pity party for myself, when I mourn because I can’t have just one normal day.

Sport Injury

Life Without a Goal

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Sarah-Kim's story

Little by little, I became the player I had always dreamed of becoming. A sudden injury changed everything.

Suicidal Child

Every Mother's Nightmare

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Judith's story

I felt like a failure as a mother. How could I have let my son become so depressed that he wanted to take his own life?

Suicidal Thoughts

I Can't Live (Like This) Anymore

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Scott's story

I felt totally alone and completely misunderstood. I thought the only way to numb the pain was to kill myself.

Toxic Workplace

My Job Made Me Sick

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Barbara's story

The constant stress and ridicule by a manager, who didn't want me to look better than her, made me physically ill.

Unfaithful Husband

Thrown on a Roller Coaster

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Amy's story

A few years into our marriage, I discovered that my husband had been sending sexually explicit emails to women he had met on the Internet. That was just the beginning.

Unplanned Pregnancy

Knocked Down

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Raquel's story

The day I saw those two lines indicating a positive result on my pregnancy test, my whole world completely turned upside down.

Widowhood

Till Death Do Us Part

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Veda's story

Three years ago, my husband breathed his last breath. Then began the most difficult journey I’ve ever experienced: life without him.