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Why is life so unfair

413 replies

MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 14:31

Does anyone think about this? I just think sometimes that I never had a chance.

I was born into a bad family. My father was cruel when I knew him, then he abandoned us and refused to pay maintenance. So I grew up in poverty. My mother brought us up but was abusive to me. My mother's parents were dead. My fathers parents had nothing to do with ne. My aunts and uncles were all horrible to me.

I had not one person. I remember crying and crying as a child. I'm quite spiritual and I used to meditate as a child. I remember during meditation hearing a voice saying "even if no one else loves you, if you love yourself you'll be ok".

But I haven't been ok. My life has been nothing but struggle. Worse, is the terrible feeling of being alone. I don't have one person.

I look around and I see people going for dinner with aunts , having a great relationship with grandparents. It upsets me.

I'm 42 now and I feel sad that all my young life is gone. I never enjoyed my teens or twenties as it was a struggle just to survive.

I look at some teenagerss i know now and they are so well supported by parents, grandparents . Their families pay for holidays.

I'll never experience the joy of being an 18 year old teenager going on holiday with my friends. At 18 I had huge burdens and responsibilities.

It's just all so unfair. And the unfairness of it is driving me mad. Why couldnt I have had one person that cared about me. Why did I have to have such a tough life. Why do other people have easy lives and other people have tough lives.

I look at children in the news who are similar to me. They only usually make the news when they are murdered. Preston Davey. There are countless other children who being neglected and unloved. Why is life so unfair. Why does it have to be such a struggle.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
Squidward2026 · 07/07/2026 15:26

Im so sorry that you had a really rough childhood, its awful and I really went through similar and theres still awful chronic care issues that follow me with some of those members of the family. I have awful pangs when I see happy families sometimes too.

But meant in the kindest way, I was lucky enough to realise to let go of the life isnt fair thing when i was late teens/early 20s and it was very freeing. I think you should too, not because it isnt true but because you'll never think the situation to fairness, you'll be stuck forever and itll eat you from the inside.

If a stray thought comes into my mind about it, I remind myself, do I really want this to be the last thing I happen to think of? How shit would that be? Life is for living and you need to find a way to move on. Not forget or pretend its ok, but find a way to move on.

Iceplanet · 07/07/2026 15:25

backformoreofthesame · 07/07/2026 15:07

OP I have read some of your responses
can you try to ignore the bitchy ones and focus on the kinder ones ? A small step towards being more positive ?

Agree. Odd people on this thread op. I would totally ignore, you don't have to explain yourself. Plenty of us get what you are saying.

EstrellaPolar · 07/07/2026 15:25

What do you like to do? Or would do more of if you had time and money? Can be anything, as silly as you want. Try naming that thing.

MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:25

It's been a lonely life and i do think what was the point of it all a lot. Just got to keep going I suppose

OP posts:
MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:23

TheGirlattheBack · 07/07/2026 15:21

You’re welcome.

Think of yourself as the circuit breaker in the cycle of abuse, your life is a struggle to overcome so that your children and your children’s children have the love they deserve. You survived, as a PP has said, not all abused children do.

Thanks. I don't have children. And I don't think I will have them. I'm 42 now.

OP posts:
MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:22

No I can't think of one person.

I have one older brother who lives in a different country. We are not close. He never asks me how I am. He never rings me. If I ring him, he usually doesn't answer the phone . If he does answer he is not friendly

I have no parents, aunts uncles cousins that were in my life.

I have no friends really.

Just acquaintances from groups i go to

OP posts:
TheGirlattheBack · 07/07/2026 15:21

MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:10

Thank you for that message.

You’re welcome.

Think of yourself as the circuit breaker in the cycle of abuse, your life is a struggle to overcome so that your children and your children’s children have the love they deserve. You survived, as a PP has said, not all abused children do.

Itwillbefinehonestly · 07/07/2026 15:21

If it makes you feel any better I would venture that most children do have at least one adult who loves them and cares for them. So you were unlucky.
Get some therapy and make the best of the rest of your life. That's all you can control.

Mistymaglets · 07/07/2026 15:20

You had a crap start, that's awful and you are allowed to grieve for the childhood you never had.
Take all the time you need to process the past, try different therapies and see what works for you.

Life is desperately unfair.
I've seen so many good people dealt a really shitty hand and absolute arseholes who seem to have great luck.

But remember, even though your past marks you , it does not define you. I hope you can find peace and work on the future that you deserve.

Roseonthebalcony · 07/07/2026 15:20

Boomer55 · 07/07/2026 15:16

What makes you think you understand my previous life? Clumsy comment. 🙄

You weren’t talking about your previous life and neither am I??? Unless your message is a hidden clue to your previous life.

MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:19

No.

OP posts:
MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:19

People who have been through a similar life. How do you stand up to bullying managers when you feel quite emotionally weak? If you do

OP posts:
Iceplanet · 07/07/2026 15:16

relaxitsok · 07/07/2026 14:47

I totally disagree and find your comment totally insensitive. The op is telling us she’s experiences horrible abuse and had no one to protect her, in common with Preston and many other children who’s stories make the news, plenty who don’t. If this is what you feel you need to post, I think you should reflect a little.

@MyFastZebra, I’m sorry and it’s ok to feel sad. I wonder since you have had that affinity with meditation in the past, have you ever explored it as an adult?

Agree @relaxitsok . Couldn't believe that bitchy comment. I hope the OP ignores it

Boomer55 · 07/07/2026 15:16

Roseonthebalcony · 07/07/2026 14:55

There is a difference between not living a charmed life and child absue which is what the OP has experienced. Your comment is disgusting.

What makes you think you understand my previous life? Clumsy comment. 🙄

ilovepixie · 07/07/2026 15:16

I agree life isn’t fair. Lots of people have a hard start in life, but it makes some people stronger and spurs them on to bigger and better things,Lots of people have a great start in life with loads of money and so on but it still effects them, You can choose either to be a victim or a survivor. Don’t let your past define you.

MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:15

Not great. I don't have a partner or kids. I work in a workplace where I am getting bullied by managers.

I feel like because I had no love and care, I am quite weak. Being weak often attracts bullies as I don't know how to stand up for myself

That's another thing I have found in life. When people found out what I went through they are usually never caring, they usually try to bully me because they see me as weak.

This is in workplaces when I am an adult too

OP posts:
Malasana · 07/07/2026 15:15

Life can be very unfair I agree.
I’m sorry you experienced all of this.
How is your life currently? Do you like it or are there things you’d love to change about it?
Maybe concentrating on looking to the future would help to quieten your mind about your past. I’m not intending that to be a trite comment by the way, it’s just a suggestion that dwelling on something you cannot change is rarely helpful.

MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:14

LondonKara · 07/07/2026 14:47

I didn't interpret op's comment that way. I read it as her giving an example of another abused child who had no one to care for him.

I'm sorry you've had such a tough time op, I work with Care Leavers and have seen the lifelong suffering an abusive childhood creates. However I think you should give yourself credit. You have survived, and that's more than many with your background have been able to do. So many of the young people I work with become homeless, are addicts or cannot find the strength to go on

Left field suggestion but I have seen nature helping some young people we work with. Do you have a garden? Or a local project you could get involved with? Or could you manage a small pet?

Thank you yes nature is a good idea. I'll go out for a walk in a forest

OP posts:
MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:12

Fetchthevet · 07/07/2026 14:56

I'm so sorry for what you've been through OP. To answer your question I suppose life is unfair because everything happens randomly. That's not a satisfactory answer I know. For what it's worth I was very unhappy throughout my teens and twenties too. I had no friends. In my 30s I pushed myself to go to college and my life improved.

Edited

Aw well done on going back to college

OP posts:
MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:11

Roseonthebalcony · 07/07/2026 15:01

I think OPs main issue is the lack of love and care in her childhood not her living standards.

You can live in poverty and be loved and feel love and that is worth its weight in gold. You can be rich and abused.

Yes I think the biggest poverty is lack of love. Didn't mother Teresa say that?

OP posts:
MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:10

TheGirlattheBack · 07/07/2026 15:07

I’m sorry you went through all of that, it sounds like you had a terrible childhood, you deserved better. Getting over an abusive childhood takes decades but it is possible to gain some sense of normalcy.

To answer your question life is neither fair nor unfair, it just is, but adopting a victim mindset of the unfairness of it all is hugely damaging to healing. For me that healing came in becoming a mother myself and wanting to do better for my own DC’s - lots of self help books, some counselling and lots of EMDR therapy.

The existential aloneness never goes away but I can cope with anything life throws at me because I have to, I am strong and resilient, there’s no village to help me pick up the pieces. It’s a cliche but self-care, self-forgiveness, self-acceptance and self-love is a big part of rising above the circumstances of your childhood.

Thank you for that message.

OP posts:
MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:09

backformoreofthesame · 07/07/2026 15:07

OP I have read some of your responses
can you try to ignore the bitchy ones and focus on the kinder ones ? A small step towards being more positive ?

Yes I will try to focus on the kinder responses. Thank you.

OP posts:
MyFastZebra · 07/07/2026 15:08

YourMauveShark · 07/07/2026 15:07

OP im sorry that you feel that you have had a hard life but please dont bring up that little boys name. A comparison could have been made without making a specific reference to him. I feel very uncomfortable with your post.

I'll bring up his name if I want to. He has made me think about other children's child abuse and what children go through. Its important tha this name is remembered. I think we all need to help improve the child abuse situation if we can

OP posts:
Roseonthebalcony · 07/07/2026 15:08

Overbrookanddale · 07/07/2026 15:02

A comparison of ‘I didn’t get to go on holidays with my friends’ and then going onto mention an abused and murdered baby did jar a bit. I am normally quite compassionate but, well, it’s probably one of the worst cases of child abuse we’ve ever seen!

Oh my god. Did you miss the bit where OP says her mum was abusive??????

Abuse is not a race to the bottom, all abuse puts child at risk. Some die, some grow up to be adults who have to live with what happened to them.

TheGirlattheBack · 07/07/2026 15:07

I’m sorry you went through all of that, it sounds like you had a terrible childhood, you deserved better. Getting over an abusive childhood takes decades but it is possible to gain some sense of normalcy.

To answer your question life is neither fair nor unfair, it just is, but adopting a victim mindset of the unfairness of it all is hugely damaging to healing. For me that healing came in becoming a mother myself and wanting to do better for my own DC’s - lots of self help books, some counselling and lots of EMDR therapy.

The existential aloneness never goes away but I can cope with anything life throws at me because I have to, I am strong and resilient, there’s no village to help me pick up the pieces. It’s a cliche but self-care, self-forgiveness, self-acceptance and self-love is a big part of rising above the circumstances of your childhood.