40 People Confess Anonymously About Their Most Embarrassing Secrets And Opinions (New Pics)

The Confession Bear format was born in June 2012 when redditor F-18Bro wanted to confess a lot of weird stuff anonymously. Their post went viral and the friendly-looking Malayan sun bear leaning against a log was forever cemented in meme history. It has even become the focus of scientific studies.

According to Matt from Know Your Meme, people related to the Confession Bear because it had such an original look. "It was also the same year that the secret sharing app/website Whisper launched. I guess secrets and confessions were in the zeitgeist," Matt pondered about why the bear became so popular on the internet at the time.

"I think animals just have more staying power than other memes," Matt explained why the Confession Bear meme is still in use to this very day. "Maybe people get tired of people’s faces or seeing the same memes. But when it comes to animals, I think people find them more endearing and therefore they endure. I mean the bear is very cute and sad!"

The Confession Bear had some spin-off relatives, including the Confession Tiger (who was very jealous of the ever-popular bear) and the Confession Kid. However, the bear proved to be the most enduring and people are still asking for its help to share their peculiar secrets 8+ years later.

Confessing secrets and opening up can have very powerful positive effects on your physical and mental health, as well as improve your relationships with others. For instance, one study found that self-disclosure on Facebook helped students cope with stress.

Meanwhile, other researchers explain that keeping secrets (especially in close relationships) leads to increased stress and anxiety. We tend to obsess and constantly think about secrets and it drains us. Letting go is freeing in more ways than one.

On the flip side, sharing secrets in a non-judgmental environment reduces stress and helps individuals actively deal with their issues. Writing down a secret for yourself to keep, sharing it anonymously online, or telling it to the people closest to you can all be great ways to deal with inner turmoil and to get a different perspective on what’s eating you up inside.

It might be something small like actually enjoying Nickelback’s music (I’m guilty of this) or something much more personal, but sharing secrets with others increases trust and reduces the burdens on our minds and emotions. So if you’re feeling like you’re overwhelmed with secrets, ask the Confession Bear to help you voice it all online. The bear’s there for a reason.