We all hold some unpopular opinions and have done some things we’re not proud of. We keep them to ourselves because we’re afraid of being judged, shamed, and ridiculed. Fortunately, the Confession Bear is here to lend us a helping and healing paw. The well-known meme format helps people share their secrets while staying anonymous, and Bored Panda has collected some of the best new confessions.

Remember to upvote the confessions that you related to the most and, when you’re done, check out our previous post about Confession Bear posts right here. Do you have anything that you want to get off your chest? Share your thoughts in the comment section (in bear form if you want) because bottling everything up isn’t good for your health.

Know Your Meme's Senior Editor and expert in all things related to memes, Matt Schimkowitz, told Bored Panda that the Confession Bear arose at a time in meme culture when Advice Animals were everywhere. "In very much the same way that people look for unique reaction images today, back then, people wanted advice animals," he said. Read on for the rest of Matt's insights into the iconic Confession Bear, the reasons for the meme's popularity, as well as its staying power.

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

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#1

This Is Why I Hate Laundry Day

Confession meme featuring a bear admitting to paying to run a washer again after someone took their clothes from the dryer.

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    #2

    Confession Bear

    Confession bear meme sharing an embarrassing secret about using a real voice for every hero while reading to son nightly.

    MadMadMadITellYou Report

    #3

    A Dire Confession, I Know

    Confession bear meme showing an animal sharing an embarrassing secret about keeping a parenting milestone hidden.

    ADisturbinglyAttractiveCactus Report

    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!"

    #4

    Should I Tell Her?

    Bear meme confessing an embarrassing secret about pretending to learn from a neighbor, featuring anonymous confessions.

    I made a joke that she can come be my private teacher now, but I guess she took me seriously? She's been stopping by most nights after class to talk/hang out.
    I'm not sure if I'm being mean lying to her but it seems to make her happy so I guess I'll play along for now.

    ForeverPast Report

    #5

    Teachers Don’t Get Enough Credit

    Confession bear meme about paying attention to a teacher, reflecting embarrassing secrets and opinions anonymously.

    claze Report

    #6

    Confession Bear

    Confession bear meme showing an embarrassed bear admitting to deleting replies midway, reflecting embarrassing secrets and opinions.

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    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.

    #7

    There Are Nice Karens

    Confession bear meme showing a bear admitting to lying about their name at Starbucks, related to embarrassing secrets.

    I’m a nice person and my name has become an embarrassment.

    badlittlered Report

    #8

    Mixer Solutions?

    Confession meme featuring a bear admitting to singing karaoke loudly in an apartment with thin walls for neighborly distraction.

    ahernandez Report

    #9

    Loneliness

    Confession bear meme expressing loneliness and no real friends, part of anonymous embarrassing secrets and opinions.

    LordFlippy Report

    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.

    #10

    Everyone Gets A Turn

    Confession bear meme sharing an embarrassing secret about feeling sorry for cups, linked to anonymous embarrassing secrets.

    jikantsubushi43 Report

    #11

    I Know It's Sad But Still

    Sad bear meme expressing embarrassment about crying in public, fitting 40 people confess anonymously about their most embarrassing secrets.

    Recently had all my money stolen from out of my account. Bank is working on refunding me all the cash, but in the mean time i need to try and find as much loose change as possible to buy food
    Went to the supermarket and bought some milk and things, came up 70 cents short
    I asked the attendant if she could unscan one of the items for me but she just shrugged and gave me the rest of the money i needed
    I know it's only small but i wish her all the best

    User Report

    #12

    This Is What I Get For Teaching Them About The Rebellions That Happened Throughout History

    Bear meme confessing about failing students as part of embarrassing secrets and anonymous opinions shared online.

    They’re in 8th grade and I had them write a children’s book based on their history textbook. I already extended the deadline by a week, so I could not be more disappointed in them right now.

    008732 Report

    #13

    The Plutocracy Is Born

    Bear meme confessing about paying high taxes and feeling disconnected, relating to embarrassing secrets and opinions.

    I do better than a large portion of the country. I still get bent over. I know people making less than me get bent over even further. Then we get lectured by these pigs about the ethics of "Hard Work" and "doing whats right for the country" while they rail us from behind. It's disgusting... I don't know what to think anymore.... But the IRS can go shove it up their a***s.

    ItsThatTimeOfTheDayAgain Report

    #14

    Lost In Fog.

    Confession bear meme showing a bear with a regretful expression, related to anonymous embarrassing secrets and opinions.

    At first I felt like [c**p]. Then I thought that maybe it meant that I was finally ready to start living again.

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    #15

    I Know I'm A [Crappy] Person For Feeling This Way

    Confession bear meme about refusing kids due to financial concerns and opinions on large families' complaints.

    I feel crappy for seeing parents who have a lot of kids and are complaining about their problems, and thinking they shouldn't have had so many kids in that case.
    I have sympathy for the kids, but not these parents.

    AoShin Report

    #16

    Future Me?

    Confession bear meme expressing a secret wish to relive life with current brain as a younger self in embarrassing secrets thread.

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    #17

    Heroes

    Confession bear meme about a nurse's embarrassing secret and opinion on "thank you for your service" from vets.

    Getting very sick of the "heroes work here" messages plastered all around my hospital. I know it's well-intentioned, but it feels impersonal and like the public is saying it to relieve guilt. The COVID crisis should not be as bad as it currently is in the supposed "best healthcare system in the world". I am no more of a hero now than I have been for going to work for the past five years taking care of people with infectious diseases. Why are we being celebrated now? Because we're going to work in unsafe conditions? Because we as a country can't get our [c**p] together enough to obtain enough N-95s to prevent workers from dying unnecessarily?

    brunchfast Report

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    #18

    Worst Employer Award Of The Year Goes To Mine. I Don’t Regret It. Love You Grandpa.

    Bear meme showing a sad confession about losing a job after leaving early to visit grandpa before he passed, secret confession.

    My grandfather served in the Korean War in the Army. He was such a light in my life, finding it hard to move on. My best friend and my fishing buddy. Bye Grandpa.
    The universe had something totally better planned for me. Higher paying job with peeps I know & a kick a*s manager. I told my manager at the other job that it was their mistake letting me go, but it wasn’t. It was my mistake choosing a sleazy company to work for. Moral of the story, choose your employers wisely. Very wisely.

    Impatience Report

    #19

    The Trouble Is, You Think You Have Time

    Confession bear meme with a bear expressing a personal embarrassing secret about installing a water heater with dad.

    During the installation process I got a text saying that Kobe Bryant, his daughter had died in a helicopter crash. Needless to say, my Dad and I were both shocked and lost for words. Eventually we continued our work and finished the install. The water heater worked amazing. Afterwards, we got Jimmy John sandwiches and attempted to work on a crossword together. As the day wrapped up and my dad was about to leave he told me how happy he was that he was able to help me with a project like this and how much it meant to him. Now, I'm just crying, thinking about how important it is to always say I love you. You never know when it will be the last you'll see your father, or kiss your wife, or play with your little brother. I love you, Dad.

    DooksandPooks Report

    #20

    Not Sure What To Feel Anymore

    Bear leaning on a log with a shy face and text about anonymous confessions revealing embarrassing secrets and opinions.

    Need to vent a bit. I have been a police officer for a little over 5 years now. Got promoted to Sergeant a year ago because I didn’t like how some of the supervisors were treating officers and I wanted to start making change from the inside. My agency has always been a gold standard in how to police. I stress being respectful to the people we come in contact with my mantra is that just because they did a bad thing does not make them a bad person. Whenever we have issues with officers the charging paperwork is immediately started and the proper consequences follow, including termination. Lately the media has made me unbelievably morose to be at work. It makes me not want to go out in public or see my family for fear they will bring up the bad cops they see on tv. My whole career I have never had a single complaint and have always been a good officer. But s***s getting tough out here. The public don’t care if I saved a child’s life. They see some bad cop from across the country and want me dead or think I’m a huge piece of s**t. I love this job and I love helping people, but I honestly feel like if I could find another job making this kind of money to support my family I would take it, and that makes me incredibly sad.

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    #21

    Good Times

    Confession bear meme expressing a dark secret, fitting the theme of embarrassing secrets and anonymous confessions.

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    #22

    To Be Honest...

    Bear leaning on a log expressing a confession about fear of things returning to normal in embarrassing secrets shared anonymously.

    I wouldn't describe myself as an introvert but I really appreciate being at home playing videogames or watching movies/TV shows all day and not having to leave the house for anything besides grocery shopping once a week, so these last few weeks have been great for me, I even got to work from home, a thing that would never have been possible before. Now I have become so comfortable with the whole 'social-distancing'/'self-quarantine' thing that I am afraid of the day when I'll have to go back to the office and restart my social life outside of my home.

    SanchoLibre Report

    #23

    Am I A Bad Person?

    Confession bear meme about not giving a caught baseball to a child, reflecting anonymous embarrassing secrets and opinions.

    With the latest trend of kids being sent to ask for baseballs caught by adults at games, I wouldn’t give it up. It’s always been a dream of mine to catch a game ball, and although I’m a grown man, my inner child wants nothing more then a game ball I caught to be on my mantle. People argue that it would fulfill a kids dream, but they didn’t earn anything so I think it sets a bad example. It’s today’s “participation trophy” for a kid just pressuring someone for something they didn’t actually earn.

    DefinitlyNotAnAI Report

    #24

    Well c**p

    Confession about meeting girlfriend's kid and doubts after watching how she raises her daughter, embarrassing secrets shared.

    long story short is that I didn't want to meet her child until we have dated a bit so I know how I felt about her. I have had many step dads and "uncles" (who I knew were not family) so I stressed I wanted to wait on meeting her daughter.
    Three months into this I really care for this woman, and thought it would be a good time to start with a meet and greet. I got toys, and cooked a big fancy meal and made sure I had plenty of activities planned so I knew it would be a fun day.
    When they arrived, she just plopped her in front of my tv and ignored her the whole time except for dinner/bath time. No rules, no trying to include her in anything. I tried my best to bring the focus to her daughter and kept explaining this weekend was about meeting her, but she kept getting b****y about me focusing my attention on her daughter who is content on just watching tv. Literally boxed up all the toys and stuff I set out and put them in her car saying she can play with them at home.
    I want to give it another shot, but am on the fence, if I am not feeling the same after this I don't want to be another dude in/out of a childs life.

    NotATacoinabananacostume Report

    #25

    Now I Have To Find A Solution For My Fries.....

    Confession bear meme sharing an embarrassing secret about pickles on burgers from anonymous people’s embarrassing secrets.

    Addicted2Groove Report

    #26

    Anything To Not Think About My Own Life...

    Bear meme sharing an anonymous confession about using a flight radar app nightly, fitting embarrassing secrets and opinions.

    User Report

    #27

    True Confession

    Confession bear meme sharing an embarrassing secret about working out to look good in a dress, related to anonymous secrets.

    davesaint88 Report

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    #29

    Should Probably Be A Burner Account

    Bear meme confession about alerting unemployment office as part of anonymous embarrassing secrets and opinions.

    I gave them her fb info which was public where she posted all her trips. I saw later she posted that they contacted her and cut her off. Was a petty thing to do but I was young and a p***k

    User Report

    #30

    Bride Confession.

    Confession bear meme expressing embarrassment about an upcoming wedding, part of anonymous embarrassing secrets collection.

    People keep asking me what I'm most looking forward to about my wedding, and I think they're expecting me to say "walking down the aisle" or "the first dance" or something romantic, but honestly the main thing I'm excited about is coming home from our honeymoon and life going back to normal.

    potential816 Report

    #31

    The Name Dies With Me

    Sad bear meme confessing an embarrassing secret about the cost of daycare and college deterring having children.

    User Report

    #32

    Military Confession

    Confession bear meme sharing an embarrassing opinion about uniform and people thanking for service.

    I appreciate that people are thankful for the men and women who serve, but when I'm at the store after work I really just want to get my things and leave. I can't be the only one who feels like this.

    TheTattooedMoose Report

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