“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Here’s a rhyme we all grew up hearing and trying to embody. But as we realize, some words cut through like a knife and leave a lasting scar that may or may not heal through time and multiple therapy sessions.
It’s likely why this question recently made the rounds on Reddit: “What’s the most hurtful thing someone has ever said to you?” People reopened deep wounds – some from decades ago – by sharing the harshest words they received from strangers, parents, siblings, and significant others.
These stories are sad and difficult to read—however, they also reflect resilience through mental struggles, which is admirable in itself.
#1
My dad once said he wished he was working late the night I was conceived.
I told him mom said he was.
Image credits: NotAnAIOrAmI
#2
I have a daughter with an extremely complicated illness. Almost lost her to it twice when she was almost 3 and again 6 months later. In-between, this was 15 years ago, I broke down and wept, being so worried about her and also how distant my wife had become from me as well. After I settled down my wife told me that me crying like that had made me less attractive.
My daughter is very stable now and I’ve been divorced for several years.
Image credits: MaximusVulcanus
#3
When I was about 7, one of the kids in my class was teasing me because “you have a fat mum”. I was so upset that someone could say something hurtful about the best person in my world. I convinced myself that they must just be jealous because getting cuddles from someone skinny must be difficult because of their pointy elbows, whereas cuddles from my mum where like cuddling an amazing powdery smelling cloud. They still are.
Image credits: Incywincyspoder
#4
Locked in the bathroom, naked.
"Just look at you! You're fat and ugly. Nobody will ever love you the way I do." – ex-husband
He was right, I married someone who does love me, just not the way he 'loved' me. Thank God.
Image credits: Bo-bop
#5
I had struggled with infertility for years. At my dad's funeral my step sister said "I bet you feel bad that you never gave him any grandkids."
Image credits: MistressAlabaster
#6
I had a theatre teacher/“director” pull me aside after a show that I totally spaced a queue/line (it honestly was a super insignificant line, and the other actor improvised very well) and she straight up told me:
“Putting you in this show was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. You’re a disappointment”
She got fired 2 years later and went to jail for a couple of years for banging my best friend's cousin who was a 15-year-old student.
I wonder if putting me in a play with one line was the biggest mistake she’s ever made.
Image credits: IBeatUpLiamNeeson
#7
My mum once said to me “I love you, you’re my daughter. But I don’t like you. I would never seek you out as a friend.” I was 21 and it was 40 years ago. I will never get over that, it hurt so much.
Image credits: WeatherKat3262I
#8
My first kid has Down Syndrome. Some lady at work asked me when I was pregnant for number two if I would do prenatal testing this time around so I could get rid of it if it turns out like the first one. Exact words. Geez, I hated her.
Image credits: most-royal-chemist
#9
A teacher told me that with my poor handwriting, I should be working for a trash or waste disposal company.
I took that comment and ended up receiving consistent tutoring for my penmanship and reading comprehension, and I’m now an English/Language Arts teacher.
Image credits: Ice9Vonneguy
#10
To this day, they do not realize how hurtful what they said to me was or how it impacted my whole life. “It was just luck.” When I fixed a stereo system my dad was trying to fix. It wasn’t luck…but from that point on I felt so stupid. I quit school in the 6th grade and was self taught on everything so that made it worse.
I went to college and got an Associate’s. Now, 15 years later, I’m returning to college at 35 to get an (unrelated) bachelor’s degree. I start in September. I am not stupid and it’s not just luck…
#11
My fiancé of 36 hours passed away on June 21st of 2009. She suffered a pulmonary embolism from her birth control Yaz
She didn’t die well… she was scared and panicked and all I could do was help, hold hand, call 911 and start CPR. In between seizing she said “oh god please don’t let me die.” I said you aren’t dying, just be cool and I hear ambulance. She passed 1 hour and 48 minutes later
She was very kind and that wasn’t meant to be hurtful at all. That comment caused me much hurt and anguish over last 14 years.
I love you Lindsay. I know I will see you again but have more life to live first.
#12
I was in a car accident in 2014, my ex said to me “I just wish you died, it would be so much easier”.
Image credits: Alternative-Shape-59
#13
"No wonder your birth parents didn't want you" – my foster mother.
Image credits: Feeling-Produce-8520
#14
“You’re a stupid diaper wearing cripple and the world would be better off without you.” – my middle school bully.
For context I have spina bifida and suffer from total incontinence due the nerves not working right.
Image credits: scipio0421
#15
When I was young, my mom said holidays are better without me.
Image credits: somewhereoutthere217
#16
My stepmom wrote me a letter when I was in my mid 20s, had 2 kids and happily married saying I had the morals of a alley cat, I was an unfit parent and my husband should divorce me. I was literally Cinderella starting from age 5. She even locked me in a cage.
Image credits: frenchknot
#17
"I cheated on you, and the only reason I'm telling you is because I'm pregnant."
Image credits: anon
#18
My “friend” to me not long after a childhood friend died (like days after):
“You’re like a black hole and spread depression everywhere you go”.
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Image credits: Parsley-Hefty7945
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