True Life

What if every time you took a sip of alcohol you couldn't stop drinking until it was hard to walk, talk, or even think? That's the grim reality for the estimated 12 million Americans who are alcoholics.

Every family has its differences, but what if you actually feel like an alien among your own flesh and blood?

Everybody worries sometimes. But what happens if you're one of the estimated two and a half million Americans whose anxieties spiral into recurring and uncontrollable panic attacks?

Does being overweight mean you have to be miserable? Not to the three young people you'll meet on this episode of True Life, who all feel they're better off being fat.

What's it like to be locked up in prison for months or even years - and then be set free into a stressful and sometimes hostile outside world?

Everyone gets angry once in a while, but some people have such trouble controlling this natural emotion that it can destroy their relationships with family and friends.

All over the world people dream of moving to the United States. Some come for freedom, and some come for work, but all immigrants must face harsh realities of a place that can feel very strange to them.

For most Americans serving in Iraq there's probably someone back home struggling with their loved one's long absence.

The adult entertainment industry is more popular and more mainstream than ever, but working in such a sexually charged field still greatly affects the personal lives of those who make it a career.

The term "Southern Belle" suggests visions of mint juleps, impeccable coiffeurs, and lives of leisure.

In this episode of True Life, we follow three young people who are attending this year's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Get up close and personal on dreams, breakdowns and the ultimate way to stand out in this cut throat industry.

What's it like being pressured to change who you are in order to be accepted by your friends?

Being embarrassed by your parents can be a rite of passage for many teenagers.

What if you couldn't tell the difference between reality and a scary hallucination?

Tens of millions of us love to socialize online, but in the virtual world where you can become almost anyone you want with a few strokes of a keyboard, some people take it to the extremes.

Everybody shops. But for some people, walking out of a store with a bag full of something new provides a thrill like no other.

How would you get along in a world without sound? Where you've never heard a note of music or your own mother's voice?

What if every time you shed unwanted pounds you immediately gained them right back?

What happens when you fall in love with someone you don't trust? And every moment spent apart or every phone call that goes unanswered is cause for alarm?

No one wants to go out into the world with a big pimple on their face. But for people who suffer from severe cystic acne, even the simplest social interactions can be torture.

Man of us feel fortunate to have a strong bond with our mother. But how would it feel if your mom left you as a child, and never returned.

Raising a child is a difficult challenge even with a trusted partner, but when you're young and single, it can be overwhelming

With a hit TV series and Pay-Per-View extravaganzas that rival viewership of pro wrestling, mixed martial arts has rapidly become one of America's most popular combat sports.

Imagine being so self-sufficient that you don't need public utilities for electricity or water.

It starts with a simple heartfelt question, and ends with a kiss. But all bets are off during the months in between.