Britons currently keep more than 150 million secrets from friends and family
A study of 2,000 adults found they each have an average of two secrets, with the number of partners they have had, smoking, hygiene habits and secret spending also featuring in the top 25 list. But worryingly, mental health issues are the most common secret being kept from others, followed by an cringeworthy incident they would rather forget.
A third keep things to themselves to avoid embarrassment, but nearly one in five are keen to avoid any relationship issues.
Nearly one in five (18 percent) also keep quiet to protect their personal reputation, while just over one in 10 have done so to avoid getting into trouble with the police.
A spokesman for Sky HISTORY, which commissioned the research to launch its new series of shows, Summer of Secrets, said: “The research suggests that the British public keep many secrets from each other, whether that’s something trivial, embarrassing, or even personal – like mental health.”
The study also found one in five Britons (20 percent) are most likely to keep a secret from their mothers, while 16 percent won’t even tell their deepest secret to a friend.
Another 16 percent will keep things from their partners, with 14 percent admitting they dread their other half discovering the truth.
