u/Gaddin76

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Growing up, I never felt fully seen.

So I turned to something that made me feel wanted… even if it wasn’t real.

At first, it felt like connection.

But over time, it became isolation.

More screens.
Less real life.
Less real love.
And the hardest part?

No one talks about this in our community.

We talk about pride. Identity. Freedom.
But not enough about coping mechanisms that hurt us.

I’m not ashamed of who I am.

But I’m learning to separate that from what’s hurting me.

If you’re dealing with this too…
you’re not broken.

You’re just trying to fill something that needs real connection.

And you deserve that. For real.