Articles by Tereza Shkurtaj

Technology

Daughter Discovers Mother's Secret Scrapbook Filled with Disturbing Photos from Her Past

Coming home from college is supposed to bring temporary and familiar comfort — but for one 22-year-old woman, it turned into an unexpected confrontation with her past. What started as a search for wrapping paper led to a disturbing discovery that left her questioning her relationship with her mother. “I was looking for wrapping paper in her craft closet and found a scrapbook labeled ‘Our Journey,’” she explained in a Reddit post. At first glance, it appeared to be a sentimental collection of childhood photos – until the pages began to take a darker turn. Instead of birthday parties and school plays, the scrapbook was filled with moments of pain and vulnerability from the Redditor's past: screenshots of social media posts about her depression, a photo of her crying after her first breakup, even a picture from the night she came home drunk and threw up. “I didn’t even know she took that,” the Reddit user wrote. The captions made the experience even more surreal. Beneath these deeply personal images were phrases like: “Even in pain, she’s so strong,” and “The night she realized life isn’t easy.” It was as if her most private struggles had been reframed into poetic captions for someone else’s narrative. For the daughter, the scrapbook felt less like a tribute and more like a betrayal. “It felt like she’d turned my pain into art for herself,” she emphasized. But when she confronted her mother, she was met with a response that only deepened her discomfort. “It’s how I process watching you grow up,” her mother told her, adding, “I’m the one who lived through your struggles too.” While her mother may have viewed it as a form of connection, the act came across as invasive. “I’m so disturbed. I can’t look at her the same,” the daughter admitted, a sentiment many readers could understand. “Who documents their kid’s trauma like a scrapbook?” she questioned. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Reddit users rushed to the comment section, validating the original poster’s feelings. “That’s not love, that’s ownership. Your mom doesn’t see you as a person, she sees you as a character in her story,” one wrote. “Turning your pain into a performance piece is emotional voyeurism, not maternal pride. You’re right to feel violated.” Another highlighted that if a parent wanted to “process” their child’s growth, they wouldn’t choose to document their lowest moments, adding, “You would pick important milestones and happy memories. Sounds like you being miserable brings her some kind of sick joy."