Someone Wonders "What’s The Worst Thing You’ve Come Home To?" And 30 People Deliver Honest Answers

Although many of us believe that these eerie, unexpected, and downright spine-chilling situations only happen on hit TV shows or in movies, more than 16k comments left by Redditors prove they happen in real life too.

Instead of receiving a warm welcome from a loving family member, these homeowners who shared their stories in the thread were greeted by unpleasant and shocking scenarios that went horribly amiss. Well, all kinds of things can occur when we’re away. Our hope of coming back to our sanctuary can be shattered in mere seconds, turning our return into a horror story that only adds more fuel to our nightmares.

Shari Botwin, LCSW and author of Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing explained that we all sometimes see life as scary simply because trauma or devastation can hit us hard at any point in our lives. "We cannot prepare for things we have no control over," she told Bored Panda.

"The best way to prepare for the unknown is to have a list of resources and people we can turn to if something terrible happens. I have worked with clients who have come home to burned down houses, lost family members in plane crashes, or have lost a loved one suddenly," Botwin said, adding that unfortunately, there is no handbook that can equip us to be prepared for awful situations.

Of course, many of us consciously know that life is unpredictable, but that doesn’t mean we automatically glide through our days unaffected by startling changes in life. When we do encounter these unfortunate events ourselves, they often knock us off our feet. According to trauma specialist Botwin, unexpected accidents leave us distraught, devastated, shocked, and in disbelief. Even if the change is positive, we can still have difficulties coping with the whirlwind of emotions these situations cause.

"From the moment the event occurs, we are left feeling uncertain and afraid of what is to come," Botwin told us. "People's mental health quickly deteriorates once they realize what has happened. Feelings of fear, panic and despair often result in clinical depression and anxiety if we do not process or talk about what happened." After all, finding your home damaged or destroyed by a fire or flood is so much more than just losing physical property.

Depending on the severity of the event, our inability to cope with unforeseen circumstances that changed the course of our lives can prevent us from moving forward. In some cases, they can even evoke a sense of fear and anxiety. "I have met several clients who have been afraid to leave their homes after experiencing this kind of trauma," the trauma expert shared a few stories from her own practice.

"Recently, I met one woman who developed claustrophobia after living through a house fire as a teen. At the time of the fire, she did not talk about her feelings, and she told me, 'Everyone in my family just moved on and acted like nothing bad ever happened.' Her sense of security and safety was taken, and the impact of that was never addressed," she revealed.

Botwin has also met an EMT worker who rescued two men buried in a collapsed basement. He told her, "My life was never the same after that day." Sadly, living through this shocking experience had unfortunate consequences. "He developed PTSD and became an alcoholic," she said. "Every time he saw images of destruction, he was reminded of what he witnessed when he saw two men fighting for their lives under layers of concrete in that basement."

If we want to stay grounded in the present and avoid causing a permanent impact on our well-being and mental health after experiencing a traumatic event, there are a few things to consider. "If you walk into your home after a fire, earthquake, or tornado, it is crucial that you ask for help and get support," Botwin suggested.

She pointed out that the flight or fight response will set in within seconds of the disaster. "Initially, it is okay to go into crisis mode. It is normal to feel numb and in denial of what you are seeing in those moments. Our brains protect us from digesting the feelings until we are safe and have some type of support."

But once you have gotten people to intervene and manage the crisis, Botwin suggested that you leave the scene and go be with family or loved ones. "Find emergency workers, therapists, or loved ones to begin processing the experience as soon as you are able. Find people who can reassure you that all will be okay, even if it is not okay right now. Remember that no amount of loss or destruction can take away the memories or items that may have been lost. Give yourselves time to work through your grief, anger, and disbelief," she concluded.