Somehow you hide the thoughts until something gives you a powerful jolt, and then the memory of broken hopes comes flooding back. It's a difficult thing to stifle the voice of conscience, to ignore the referee's whistle. The whistle is God's voice in your conscience, and He convicts you for your own benefit. The bad conscience with all it's insistent prodding is intended to make you look at God's rule book again. The fact of fear.
Few people admit that fear is another cause, but it is true.
You fear to confide to others the truth about yourself in case they might laugh. Perhaps you know fellows who act big for fear of being judged too young for the gang, and girls who bestowed their personal favors for fear of losing boyfriends. Fear draws it's victims together in groups where nagging pains can be temporarily forgotten. Wild dress styles, frenzied dancing, drink, sex, drugs- all help to keep life moving, and push fears and problems into the background. It is a sham life.