Why We Lie To Keep The Peace: The Weight of Family Secrets | Unstuck

Unstuck: Mental Health, Motivation & Moving Forward · Oct 23, 2026 · 8m

In this episode of Unstuck, host Kimberly Mercer explores the heavy psychological toll of family secrets and the exhausting performance required to keep the peace. Many individuals, particularly women who often act as the emotional architects of their families, feel compelled to curate a polished public narrative while hiding internal chaos, debt, addiction, or quiet cruelty. This practice, driven by a deep-seated instinct for survival and stability, creates a profound disconnection from one’s own reality. The episode examines how maintaining these myths requires constant maintenance, leading…