Q&A for How to Keep a Secret

Try to keep conversation away from the topic of your secret. This way you are less likely to tell someone by mistake. If this is not possible, tell yourself to keep this secret before answering every question or making any statement.

To avoid telling your parents about your boyfriend, try not to bring up the subject of relationships, and steer conversations away from topics that might lead to discussing him. Keep in mind that if your relationship becomes serious, you may eventually need to have a conversation with them about it.

Emphasize to the person the importance of keeping the secret and explain the potential consequences if it is disclosed, so they understand the impact it may have on you.

Focus on discussing other topics with your friends and find ways to distract yourself from the secret. Keeping it off your mind reduces the chance of accidentally revealing it.

Tell your friend that you prefer not to discuss it and try to steer the conversation away from the topic. If they persist, gently remind them that you don't want to share it.

To keep the secret, you must ensure both you and the other person involved remain discreet. However, consider whether being honest might be a better path forward for you.

Consider how revealing the secret would impact both you and the people involved. Think about whether it would help someone or possibly cause harm.

Consider writing your secret in a locked diary, and if needed, share it with a trustworthy family member for support.

You should talk to your friend about how serious this is and encourage her to address the situation. If she doesn't act, you may need to consider informing her boyfriend.

Sharing secrets is generally not advisable, except when keeping the secret could result in harm or danger to someone.

Avoid discussing your beliefs with your parents and use incognito mode or clear your browser history when researching online. Store any related items in a secure, hidden place, ideally outside your home. Share your beliefs only with trusted individuals and be careful about documenting them. Keeping a secret can be challenging, but it is possible.

Excluding your girlfriend might seem rude, so consider if this relationship is worth maintaining if you don't want to include her in special moments. If there's an activity she might not enjoy, you could have a separate celebration or a small gathering and then spend time with your friend later. If you're set on keeping it a secret, ask your friend not to mention it, and if questioned, say it's a small family event. However, the most honest approach would be to discuss your feelings with her directly.

You might consider writing it down in a diary and securing it with a lock. Alternatively, you can confide in your parents if you trust them to keep secrets.

To help keep secrets, try writing them in a well-hidden diary or on a piece of paper that you can destroy afterward.

You should confront them about breaking your trust and consider not sharing personal secrets with them in the future.

It depends what it is. Friends may leak your secret, even accidentally. If you really don't want to take that chance, tell a school counselor or a therapist.

Find a good hiding place for your diary and consider changing it periodically to maintain its secrecy. Additionally, avoid telling others about its existence to prevent them from trying to find it.

To keep a secret, you should avoid telling anyone about it.

Accept responsibility for what you did, apologize and understand that she may not feel comfortable confiding in you any longer.

Focus on the positive aspect of keeping the secret; it demonstrates loyalty and strengthens your friendship, which can make you feel like a better friend.

Tell them she is lying about you, and have a talk with her, too. Somebody who does that isn't being a very good friend.

It takes a long time to gain back trust after you've lost it. You will have to prove yourself to be trustworthy and not do anything to betray the person's trust again. See How to Rebuild Trust .

It is generally not advisable to share secrets about private matters. These matters are private for a reason. However, if you or someone you know is being touched inappropriately, it is important to inform a trusted adult immediately.

The best approach is to acknowledge the situation openly and maintain a sense of humor. By owning the secret, you demonstrate honesty and others are likely to respect you, allowing the situation to pass more quickly.

Usually past behavior tells you whether someone is trustworthy. It's generally not a good idea to tell important secrets to someone you haven't known long enough to make that call with.

First off, see what happens. If they don't tell anybody, you don't need to worry.

While you may attempt this, be aware that such secrets often come to light. To maintain secrecy, you would need to keep your devices secure, avoid calling them by the wrong name, and ensure only trusted friends know about both relationships.

Most likely everyone will not hate you, no matter what the secret is. Tell someone you really trust and that you think will not judge you. If that goes well, tell someone else. Even if the secret upsets someone, it's usually best to be honest, and you'll feel a lot better after you get this off your chest.

Try keeping your mouth shut about any of the related topics of the secret when talking to your other friend. Also, keep reminding yourself that you would be hurt if your friend spilled your secrets, so you don't want to do that to them.

You should inform your parent about the incident yourself. Being upfront can alleviate your guilt, and it's likely that your friend's parent might inform them eventually. By telling your parent directly, you may reduce potential disappointment compared to them hearing it from someone else.