I see projection in many of the replies, where people seem to be treating OP as if they're the one who's caused them pain, rather than individuals they've encountered in their own lives.
In any case, speaking of Reddit, my perspective on whether to treat posts as creative writing exercises changed a few years back. There was a post on one of the relationship subreddits from a man with an abusive wife. People were rather harsh and rash with their advice, I think because, as usual, they assumed it was fiction, and were just playing along. Well, it turned out to have been very much real: several days later, it was in the news that a woman had murdered both of her children. The man from the post had attempted to follow Reddit's ill-conceived advice, and that was her means of punishing him.
I always wonder, now: "what if it turns out that this is real?" I think it's safer to err on the side of caution.
Re: THE WORLD WILL BREAK OPEN
In any case, speaking of Reddit, my perspective on whether to treat posts as creative writing exercises changed a few years back. There was a post on one of the relationship subreddits from a man with an abusive wife. People were rather harsh and rash with their advice, I think because, as usual, they assumed it was fiction, and were just playing along. Well, it turned out to have been very much real: several days later, it was in the news that a woman had murdered both of her children. The man from the post had attempted to follow Reddit's ill-conceived advice, and that was her means of punishing him.
I always wonder, now: "what if it turns out that this is real?" I think it's safer to err on the side of caution.