Why Talking Too Much May Be Ruining Your Health

We often feel the pressure to be interesting, entertaining, and more when with our loved ones. But this pressure is not healthy, if not impossible. Sometimes mere presence is more valuable than words. Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane invited the disciples to pray with him as He was experiencing his anxiety. There was nothing they could have said or done to make him feel better, but there was something about having others there with you, even if they were powerless to say anything that might make the feelings better.

The value of presence on our health and mental well-being, even in quiet moments, is profound. Being fully present allows us to connect deeply with our surroundings, reducing stress and promoting a sense of inner peace. In the quiet, our minds have the space to slow down, which can enhance clarity and foster a sense of grounding. This mindful awareness helps to lower anxiety levels and improve overall emotional resilience. By cultivating a state of presence, we not only enhance our physical health by lowering stress-related ailments but also nurture our mental and spiritual well-being, creating a harmonious balance within ourselves.

But being fully present DOES NOT always mean constant communication. If that were the case many of us, who haven't heard God in years, if at all, would be in deep trouble. Just meditating on and contemplating that God's presence is always there, near you, as the Comforter, often is enough to get through most of our days. The same goes for other humans. Don't put so much pressure on yourself or your loved one, to always have to be interesting/entertaining. Perhaps a hug is enough, a smile, a hand hold, listening to music, watching a movie; to show “hey I'm here, and I'm glad you are” without there being anything verbal.

1. Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God."

2. Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

3. Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

4. Isaiah 30:15: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength."

Some people talk for a living at work, and they are exhausted from interaction and being the focus of attention all day. Parenthetically some have to talk to children all day at home, and can't wait to have adult conversation. It all depends and we must know our loved ones, learning their body and facial mood cues over time.

Excessive talking, known as "logorrhea" or "pressured speech," can sometimes be a symptom of underlying health or mental issues. Some people cannot stand the awkwardness of silence.

That said, try moments of just being there, without a plethora of words, and see if it may help you.

“For not eating and drinking makes friendship: such friendship even robbers have and murderers. But if we are friends, if we truly care for one another, let us in these respects help one another. This leads us to a profitable friendship: let us hinder those things which lead away to hell.” — St. John Chrysostom

The friendship which can cease has never been real. + St. Jerome, Letter III: To Rufinus the Monk

“Man seeks joy and happiness in heaven. He seeks what is eternal far from everyone and everything. He seeks to find joy in God. God is a mystery. He is silence. He is infinite. He is everything. Everyone possesses this inclination of the soul for heaven. All people seek something heavenly. All beings turn towards Him, albeit unconsciously. Turn your mind towards Him continually. Learn to love prayer, familiar converse with the Lord. What counts above all is love, passionate love for the Lord, for Christ the Bridegroom. In order not to live in darkness, turn on the switch of prayer so that divine light may flood your soul. Christ will appear in the depths of your being. There, in the deepest and most inward part, is the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is within you [Luke 17:21].”

— St. Porphyrios, Wounded by Love