Internet anonymity is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it makes people feel free to spew homophobia and racism; it can be like busting open a godawful piñata of hate. On the other, it also makes people feel safe sharing deeply personal, gripping anecdotes on places like Reddit.

In order to help point you in the right direction, we've curated a few of the subreddits whose stories have sucked us in and keep us coming back for more. These interesting subreddits are where we check for updates on ongoing dilemmas, discover fresh tales, or dive into rich archives.

Are all of these anecdotes true? Most definitely not — people lie on the internet all the time of course. Even so, it isn't a stretch to assume at least some are, and whether or not they're false doesn't change the fact that they're immensely entertaining.

Here are some of Reddit's most fascinating subreddits; each full of weird, wild, mostly true tales that will keep you reading all night.

1-2. r/relationships and r/relationship_advice

Every good story is really about relationships, and these two subreddits are packed with interesting ones. From absolutely adorable romantic anecdotes to complicated family ties to downright dangerous liaisons, r/relationships and r/relationship_advice are crowded with tales of people in difficult situations.

Be prepared to lose several hours of your life trawling through their intriguing tales and, in many cases, being glad you're just a bystander. Because dealing with your girlfriend using your socks as toilet paper is a problem no human should have to contemplate.

3. r/AmItheAsshole

The purpose of r/AmItheAsshole is fairly straightforward. A redditor recounts a situation they're in or a course of action they're considering taking, and everyone else decides if that person is being an asshole. Any story in which someone might — or might not — be a jerk is inherently entertaining, but this subreddit also adds the guilty delight of your judgement.

Yes, none of us are immune to mistakes, but it's probably somewhat OK to call someone out for spending their infant daughter's college fund on a car.

4-5. r/confessions and r/confession

These threads contain redditors' confessions, ranging from silly and sweet to horribly dark to just really, really petty. r/confessiononly allows anecdotes about things people claim to have done, while r/confessionsis more lenient in accepting general opinions. Even so, both are packed with tales of haunting guilt, calm acceptance, and savage lack of remorse.

Stories can get very intense, such as an overwhelmed mother who said she planned to abandon her child with a disability to a care facility. They are also on occasion hilarious, such as the retail worker who said they got stuck faking a British accent at work.

6. r/tifu

"Tifu" stands for "today I fucked up," but this subreddit doesn't restrict its poor decision-makers to events that happened recently. r/tifu hosts stories of immediate panic, such as the student who said they accidentally submitted hardcore furry erotica instead of their final paper, alongside stories of regret that has lingered for years. There are also lighthearted tales, like the time a man apparently threw a steak against a window during dinner with his wife's new boss. And no, it doesn't make more sense in context.

7. r/legaladvice

As a general rule, the internet is a terrible place to solicit legal advice. What it is good for, however, is reading about the fascinating series of events that prompt people to do so. r/legaladvice is full of redditors looking for legal pointers when things go sideways, like when they're coparenting with an anti-vaxxer, dealing with workplace gossip after exposing their bare chest, or escaping a cult. (This subreddit is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute actual legal advice. Please get yourself a proper lawyer if you need real legal help.)

8. r/JUSTNOMIL

We've all heard of the tired monster-in-law trope, but for some people it seems to have a solid basis in truth. r/JUSTNOMIL (which stands for "Just No, Mother-in-Law") is a subreddit for people dealing with difficult mothers, mothers-in-law, and other maternal figures, with tales ranging from the bizarre and irritating to the genuinely tragic. Stories typically involve a mother-in-law overstepping her bounds, but what's wild is how far some apparently go. Two words: perforated condoms.

Though r/JUSTNOMIL is the largest and most active, there's a whole network of similar subreddits such as father-in-law focused r/Justnofil. r/raisedbynarcissists is another interesting subreddit for those whose issues are with the people who raised them.

9-10. r/TalesFromTechSupport and r/TalesFromRetail

Despite the famous idiom, anyone who has worked in customer support knows the customer is frequently very, very wrong. r/TalesFromTechSupport and r/TalesFromRetail are packed with stories of such customers, often featuring their satisfying comeuppance.

These subreddits don't just feature difficult people, though. Some customers are memorable for other reasons, such as a pregnant woman hunting down infant cough syrup at closing time. There are also tales of workplace regret, as with a programmer who accidentally automated a co-worker out of a job, and victories like the IT consultant who helped a woman prove her abusive husband was surveilling her.

11. r/IDontWorkHereLady

Harried retail workers aren't the only ones who have to deal with mean, aggressive people. Customers and workers alike can get so caught up in their power trips that they'll chew out anyone who crosses their path, regardless of their victim's involvement in the actual problem.

r/IDontWorkHereLady is flush with tales of mistaken identity in the workplace, such as the contractor whose boss fired him without knowing how specialised his work was. Though some subjects are merely confused rather than hostile, like the woman who thought an office was a doggy daycare.

12. r/LetsNotMeet

And then there are the tales of frightening places populated by dangerous people, which are all over r/LetsNotMeet. This subreddit is where people post about real encounters that went far beyond creepy into horrifying, such as the couple whose baby was almost abducted in front of them, or the pizza delivery worker who narrowly escaped an armed customer.

The subreddit isn't without humor though, such as a sleepy man who said he propositioned a home intruder under the mistaken belief it was his girlfriend. But if r/LetsNotMeet is too intense for you, there's also r/creepyencounters for less life-threatening tales.