When was the last time you had a good talk with a trusted friend or a relative? Perhaps it is doubly harder these days given our rules on physical distancing.

But talk we must. We should find ways to connect. Online opportunities are available but if chances permit, a personal meeting is much better.

How exactly does talking help? Here are some of the benefits of talking and conversing with someone you trust.

1. Talking labels our feelings – The act of talking processes our emotions and feelings by capturing them in words and bring them into the more thinking parts of the brain. Once we have a name for these emotions, it is easier for us to conceptualize our situation, facilitating understanding and insight on our problems. 
2. Talking is Cathartic – Talking it out with a trusted person allows us to unload charged feelings inside of us. How we feel matters so much in solving our issues. Negative emotions drain us of our needed psychological and emotional resources. But a sense of relief through talking brings about a renewed sense of strength and purpose to try again.
3. Talking facilitates problem solving–They say that two heads are better than one. This is true but even truer when it comes to seeing your problem in a different way especially if the one you talk to is adept enough in taking your views and providing feedback that allows you to see through obstacles in your hurdle. We all need a sounding board so that we can think better. A trusted friend or a skillful counselor is best for this.
4. Talking helps you get more information – Especially if you talk to a more knowledgeable person and wiser than you are, the pieces of advice you get from him or her would be gems that could inspire and motivate you to go on and try different options. 

But while talking with someone has its benefits, it can also be dangerous. Young people who prefer to listen to their peers rather than their parents or trusted adults may get advice which can lead them to more harm than good.

It is important that we know who we talk to and get our advice from. It has to be someone we trust especially in matters which are so personal to us.  In times when we are down and vulnerable, how our fragile selves are handled significantly affect our healing and recovery.

Our ability to talk is one of the most distinctive features that separate us from animals. It shows our superior intellectual capacity to use words to create and recreate things. With words, we are able to shape our worlds and bring us to greater heights. 

Hence, let us all harness this one gift of bringing out our deepest pains, sorrows, longing, and hopes through sharing them, talking with someone we trust. The connection we build goes beyond solving problems, it nurtures our souls and make us better people.

Go now, talk to someone. 

P.S. We have groups who cater to your “Talking needs”. Try to look out for LAUM Bohol, Pagpakabuhi, Project Bohol Mental Health Awareness, or Kalinaw. They are ready to listen.