Spill your secrets at the Southsea Confessional for the Instagram generation

Someone anonymously writing a confession at Staggeringly Good Brewery. Picture: Habibur Rahman

As the proverb goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. And now you can unburden yourself of your darkest secrets, by anonymously confessing to hundreds of people.

As daunting as that may sound, the cathartic and therapeutic nature of a confessional inspired an anonymous team of Portsmouth individuals to create Southsea Confessional – the project which goes by the motto of ‘get it out by posting it in’.

When you think of a confessional, it conjures up thoughts of the Catholic church and a priest listening to your worries.

But the people behind this project have distanced it from religious connotations and placed their confessional boxes in four independent Southsea traders – Hunter Gatherer Coffee, Albert Road; Osborne Road’s The Wave Maiden, and The Tea Tray; as well as new members Staggeringly Good Brewery.

A pile of confessions placed on a table at Staggeringly Good Brewery. Picture: Habibur Rahman

The boxes are situated in the toilets – the most private place at any social space – and participants then write their confession, however weird or wacky, on the card and post it in the box.

The anonymously-written cards are collected and, depending on the participant’s decision declared on the card, are uploaded to social media through the medium of Instagram for hundreds of people to see.

These confessions vary from admitting wrong-doing such as adultery or betrayal, to sharing their love for their pets or family.

For example, one reads: ‘I fancy my best friend.’

‘I’m going to be a dad at last,’ says another.