Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down The Most Brutal Awakenings They've Ever Had In Their Life

A young woman sitting and crying on stone steps
woman in black and white dress sitting on concrete stairs
Photo by Zhivko Minkov on Unsplash

Reddit user Single_Soft_3917 asked: 'What are the most brutal rude awakenings you had in your life?'

We've all been faced with a "rude awakening" at some point in our lives.

Perhaps none more universal than becoming an "adult" and learning the responsibilities of paying rent and bills and no longer relying on our parents.


Some rude awakenings are a bit less apparent to others.

While they might not be experiences everyone goes through, the emotional effect these experiences might have on us is still every bit as bad, if not worse.

So much so that calling them "rude awakenings" would be an understatement.

Redditor Single_Soft_3917 was curious to learn of about the most brutal awakenings people have ever experienced, leading them to ask:

"What are the most brutal rude awakenings you had in your life?"

The Memory Lives On... For Better Or Worse...

"Literal rude awakening."

"Almost every morning for about the first 2 weeks after my dad died I woke up blissfully having forgotten."

"About 2 seconds into consciousness the realization that he was dead hit me, and it was like finding out for the first time all over again."

"One of the most painful things in the world."- AtheneSchmidt

Surround Yourself With People Who Pick You Up

"Burn bridges."

"It’s necessary."

"Some people just don’t want you in their life."- chefboyarde30

Every Parent's Worst Nightmare

"It is possible to outlive your child."- Best_Newt6858

Too Soon

"That some of the worst people in the world are some of the most powerful people in the world because of the way they are."

"Unfortunately, often people who are willing to do things most people aren't to get ahead end up being the ones who accumulate a lot of power."

"Once you really internalize it, it is a sh*tty realization."- _DCtheTall_

No Matter How Hard You Try

"That often doing 'your best' is miles away from 'good enough'."- UnscarredVoice

The Reverse Is Also True

"Not everyone is going to like you and you need to be ok with this."- bethybabes

Sometimes You Truly Must Put Yourself First

"Ain’t no one gonna 'save' you but yourself."- ayeleexfan

The Definition Of Toxic

"Many people have so little peace with themselves that they have an overwhelming impulse to prevent others from living in peace."- Just_Capital4652

Jealousy And Ridicule Make A Dangerous Pair...

"When sh*t hits the fan in your life you will most likely be left to deal with it on your own while everyone around you watches and rubber necks your situation."

"When you succeed in life no one will congratulate you, in fact they will probably shade you until they need something from you."- nitrosunman

There's No Worse Feeling Than Wanting To Be Noticed...

"You can be the juiciest peach on the tree, and people will still not choose you."- justarandommermaid

Melancholy Is Less Than Alluring

"Constantly putting yourself down and moping all the time makes others not want to be around you, and having a negative mindset 24/7 makes you a less likable person."- aquatic_armageddons

Cherish The Present

"Realizing that people can leave you even when you thought they'd stay forever it was a harsh truth to face."- Sophia-Girllx5

A Contradiction In Terms

"Not making a choice is making a choice."- David_ior

Can They Ever...

"The people you love and trust can hurt you."

"Honestly, it hurts more because you don't see it coming."- kidskitchen

When In Doubt, See A Doctor!

"Sometimes you get sent to the hospital by a good doctor because of one bad blood test result, and you end up admitted and on chemo that day and learn that your plan 'to sleep it off' would have ended up with you dead in 36 hours."

"Joke all you want, but every now and then it's actually MUCH MUCH worse than a cold."- damned-if-i-do-67

There is truly no greater slap in the face than a dose of reality.

And unlike dreams and nightmares, which we eventually wake up from, these rude awakenings can often result in genuine pain.


More from Trending

Amanda Seyfried
Christopher Polk/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images

Amanda Seyfried's Unbothered Reaction To Losing At Golden Globes Is Seriously Iconic

Now that the Golden Globes have passed, it's time for that most cherished awards-season tradition: deconstructing stars' reactions to losing!

And this year, the award for Best Reaction to Losing inarguably goes to Amanda Seyfriend, who's gone viral for her hilarious response.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kyle Rittenhouse
@rittenhouse2a/X

Kyle Rittenhouse Dragged After Making Outrageous Claim About Fluoride In Water

In another bid to get back into the good graces of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's fans, gun rights poster boy Kyle Rittenhouse claimed fluoride in drinking water is "making people gay."

Rittenhouse fell out of favor with the MAGAsphere in 2024 for criticizing their Dear Leader on his 2nd Amendment stance. After deleting the critical X post which spawned rumors among Trump's MAGA minions that he was secretly transgender, Rittenhouse stayed off social media until December 2025 when he announced he was married.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Jake Tapper and Kristi Noem
CNN

Kristi Noem Slammed For Her Smug Reaction To ICE Agent Calling Renee Good A 'F—king B*tch'

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was criticized for her disturbing reaction to a question from CNN host Jake Tapper about a video of an ICE agent calling Renee Nicole Good a "f**king b*tch" after fatally shooting her in the face.

The ICE agent who shot Good has been identified as Jonathan E. Ross, according to court records that closely align with the circumstances of a June 2025 incident in Bloomington, Minnesota, referenced by Noem and Vice President JD Vance.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Trump Blasted After Declaring Himself ‘Acting President Of Venezuela’ In Mock Wikipedia Entry

President Donald Trump is facing criticism after he shared a mock Wikipedia entry that features a picture of himself with the new title of "Acting President of Venezuela." This comes little more than a week after his administration invaded the South American country and ousted its dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Trump previously claimed the U.S. will take a day-to-day role governing Venezuela after removing Maduro, an act of regime change widely viewed as an act of war that came without congressional approval and violated international law.

Keep ReadingShow less
A fox yawning in a field
photo of yawning fox on grass

People Describe The Most Boring Thing They've Ever Experienced

No two people share exactly the same interests.

With this in mind, every now and again we might find ourselves needing to attend something that a friend or family member is extremely excited about, but we find excruciatingly boring.

Keep ReadingShow less