That week my parents made me share a room with my brother until I was 15

Stayed at a friend's place last weekend and realized how nice it is to have your own space to breathe. Makes me wonder how much of my constant need to be alone now comes from never getting privacy back then. Anyone else still struggling with that?

3 comments

3 Comments

sandra_anderson21d ago

Started blocking out time for myself after work every day. Even if it's just sitting in my car for ten minutes before walking in the door. I found that setting a hard boundary with my family helped a lot. Told them I needed that quiet time to recharge and they eventually got used to it.

miamitchell23h ago

My buddy Dave grew up sharing a room with three brothers in a two-bedroom apartment. He told me that even now in his 30s, he still can't sleep if the door is open and he needs complete silence to focus. Last year his girlfriend surprised him by converting a spare closet into a little reading nook with soundproofing foam and a latch on the inside. He said it was the best gift he ever got because it's the first time in his life he had a space that was completely his. Made me realize how deep that stuff goes when you never had your own corner growing up.

jamesf2614h ago

Man, that story really hits home. It's amazing how something as simple as a closet can mean so much when you grew up with no privacy at all. I had a cousin in a similar situation, shared a room with two siblings his whole childhood. Even as an adult he'd get anxious if someone walked into the room without knocking. It's not about being dramatic, it's just how your brain gets wired when you never had a door you could close.