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.
@RandyRRQuaid/X
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
