Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Things They Thought Were Normal But Actually Aren't At All

People Break Down Which Things They Thought Were Normal But Actually Aren't At All
Photo by Josh Mills on Unsplash

Hindsight really is 20/20.

I never fully understood that thought until my thirties.

So many of the things we thought were just an average part of life when were really just a whole hell of a mess.

Some "quirks" and behaviors are not meant to be the normal.

We just decide they are, but they're actually part of bigger issues.

Redditor ComfortableMess3145 wanted to compare notes on the certain things that maybe we had the wrong idea about at first. They asked:

"What is something you thought was normal but found out it isn't?"

We need to prepare. Some of our regular daily life activities maybe not the best idea.

Streaks

GIF by Ramin NazerGiphy

"I have astigmatism so I see light in streaks. For the longest time I thought that was how everyone saw it."

Onirity

hence the name...

"Visual snow. My whole life, my field of vision has always been covered by shifting multi-colored dots of light. Similar to light snow on an old TV transmission, hence the name. I see it all of the time, I never don't see it, though it is worse in the dark, or if staring at the sky. In the dark or when I close my eyes, it is all I see. I thought everyone had this until my early 20s."

smuffleupagus

"roll over laughing"

"I was joking around with my friends in 8th grade History and we were trying to see how many pencils we could stick into my friend's afro (with his consent) and right as I was trying to lift my arm and put the pencil in his hair one of them cracked a joke that sent us into a fit of laughter. My arms went limp and when my friends started coaxing me to put it in I told them I couldn't."

"They were noticeably confused, so when I regained my composure I explained that everytime I laugh, my muscles go limp and I am not be able to move them. It ranges from droopy head and weak knees, to full body collapse. Because of the term 'roll over laughing' and portrayals of people in media falling over in laughter I thought this happened to everyone, and they were just better at controlling it."

"My friends all agreed that it in fact did not happen to them, and that I should get it checked with a doctor. 1 year later I was diagnosed Type 1 Narcolepsy: a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, and Cataplexy. Cataplexy happens when a trigger, such as strong emotions like laughter or fear, trigger a sudden loss of muscle tone, making it difficult to move, stand, or even breathe."

I was lucky to be diagnosed as early and quick as I was, since the condition is widely unknown outside of the context of Narcolepsy patients and specialists. The symptoms of Narcolepsy are so common, in both puberty where it starts to present more heavily, and other diagnoses such and depression and anxiety."

"It's estimated that around 1 in 2,000 people have this disorder, and the lucky few that actually get diagnosed usually only do so later in life after 5-10+ years of multiple tests and misdiagnoses. The takeaway from this is that if you think that other people 'deal with it better' or 'suck it up' or 'control it better' chances are that's not normal, and you should speak up about it."

Savannahisded

The Friend Group

"I thought it was normal for every friend group to have one person that everyone picked on for no reason. I don't mean light roasting, I mean legitimately bullying them and putting them down. My brother's friend group had one, with my brother being a primary instigator."

"I was the punching bag in my middle school friend group. It took until the end of high school/the beginning of college for me to actually be treated like a person and realize that friends aren't supposed to make you feel like crap about yourself."

yeetgodmcnechass

You're gonna hear me...

brain roar GIFGiphy

"The ability to make a roaring noise in my ears by tensing a muscle. link"

Jmen4Ever

The human body is a crazy thing. I sure the animal body is a sh**show too.

Once in awhile...

toilet bathroom GIF by South Park Giphy

"Pooping once in 3-7 days. Since childhood I always do it in that frequency. However, when I was 21 my doctor told me that it's not normal at all and it should be everyday thing. I always thought that everyone does it once in 3-7 days, not everyday."

pleddyd

2 dippy eggs, please...

"I'm from Pennsylvania. Growing up, when we went to a restaurant and I ordered my favorite eggs, I would say, '2 dippy eggs, please.' It wasn't until I got married and moved out to the western part of the country that I realized most people don't call them that. I can still see the look on the waitress's face when I asked for dippy eggs. Apparently, most people call them 'sunny side up.'"

fourjoys99

For the Pizza

"Asking for permission. I was raised to always ask permission to have water, a snack, turn on the TV, or go to the bathroom any time I am in someone else's home. My best friend's mom thought it was weird that I would ask permission for small things. Like 'May I grab a knife and fork for my pizza?' instead of 'Where can I find a knife and fork?' was super weird to her."

Awkward_Society1

Lip Service

"Not being able to watch Movies/Shows without Close Captions or subtitles. Also never understanding what they are saying on the radio. Turns out, I have an Auditory Processing Disorder. If I don't see peoples lips moving my brain doesn't recognize they are words more than half the time."

SugarLily0420

Normal? Not

Season 10 GIF by FriendsGiphy

"Having OCD. The thoughts that come with it I thought were normal for YEARSSS."

foxgirl1318

Well I have a lot to think about how I live my life.

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Images of Savannah and Nancy Guthrie
@savannahguthrie/Instagram

Savannah Guthrie Shares Heartfelt Video Of Her Missing Mom On Mother's Day: 'We Miss You With Every Breath'

Today co-host Savannah Guthrie's mother, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, was declared missing on February 1, 2026, after she did not routinely arrive at church that morning, and a well-check confirmed that her home was empty and the door was left wide open.

Due to her need for multiple medications, including for her pacemaker, and her limited mobility, the Pima County Police Department deemed her case a high priority, soon welcoming the help of the FBI.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Robert Jeffress
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Fox News

Trump Backs Pastor's Claim That He Has A 'Better Understanding' Of The Bible Than Pope Leo—And People Are Furious

On Saturday, MAGA Republican President Donald Trump chose to promote an interview with controversial anti-LGBTQ+ Baptist minister Robert Jeffress by posting a clip from Fox News on Truth Social. In the interview, Jeffress repeatedly stroked Trump's ego, flattering him incessantly.

A Fox News contributor, Jeffress was on to talk about Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to the Vatican to give Pope Leo XIV a crystal football.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from viral videos show the tourist accused of targeting monk seal Lani (left) and a local confronting him afterward (right).
@nexta_tv/X; @brentonawa/Instagram

Tourist Gets Beaten Up By Hawaiian Local After Throwing Rock At Beloved Monk Seal In Viral Video

A tourist’s beach day in Hawaii reportedly ended with a brutal dose of instant consequences after a video captured him throwing a rock at a beloved monk seal named Lani.

Viral footage shows the endangered animal swimming calmly near Front Street in Lahaina before the 37-year-old Seattle man allegedly hurled a large rock dangerously close to the seal, sending it darting away from the splash and triggering immediate outrage online.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mark Burns; Donald Trump statue
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images; Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images

MAGA Pastor Gets Blunt Reality Check After Claiming Golden Statue Of Trump Isn't 'Idol Worship'

Mark Burns, the pastor of the Harvest Praise & Worship Center in South Carolina and board member of Pastors for Trump, lashed out after a golden statue of President Donald Trump erected in Miami was criticized for ignoring biblical messaging about "idol worship."

The statue, titled “Don Colossus,” portrays Trump with his fist raised in the air—a pose reminiscent of the gesture he made following the failed 2024 assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally—and was commissioned by a group of cryptocurrency investors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tia Mowry celebrates daughter Cairo’s safari-themed eighth birthday with a backyard party.
@tiamowry/Instagram

Tia Mowry Impresses Fans With The Refreshingly Low-Key Party She Threw For Her Daughter's 8th Birthday

In an era of luxury birthday blowouts and viral party budgets, Tia Mowry’s understated celebration for daughter Cairo is standing out for the exact opposite reason. The actor threw Cairo, whom she shares with ex-husband Cory Hardrict, a safari-themed petting zoo party in her backyard, complete with lush greenery, a pool, and a jacuzzi.

The outdoor fireplace acted as the focal point of the decor, featuring a green “Happy Birthday” banner decorated with jungle animals, giant balloons spelling out Cairo’s name, a gold number eight balloon, and clusters of green, beige, and animal-print balloons.

Keep ReadingShow less