Why Is It Good to Talk?
Video – VLog 56
Why is talking important?
Is talking good for your health?
Why is talking important for your mental health?
Script – VLog 55
David Logan: Hello and welcome to The Techno Dinosaur Meets The I.T. Geek, vlog number 56. Fun and entertainment with my co-host Willie Nicol, who’s the Techno Dinosaur. My name is David Logan, the I.T. Geek, the guy who takes the jargon out of technology for you the home worker. So, Willie, how are you and where are you?
Willie Nicol: Hi David, I am very well thanks. I’m in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland, U.K where it’s a lovely sunny day. So much so that I have my T-shirt and, although you can’t see it, I’m wearing my shorts. So, I am the Techno Dinosaur so called because I’m digitally challenged. But I’m also a personal development life coach.
David Logan: Brilliant. You’ve got a sunny day, we’ve got a sunny day as well. Bright sunshine and we’re alive and awake and kicking.
David Logan: This week’s question to you Willie …. I always hear the saying “It’s good to talk”. But if you’re lonely, is it good to talk and why should we?
Willie Nicol: I think it is good to talk and not just if you’re lonely. There is the old, old saying, “A trouble shared is a trouble halved”. So you talk to your friends or your family about something or things and just the act of you talking and them listening, the thing that’s bothering you can be reduced in importance.
Willie Nicol: However, it’s very often easier to talk to a stranger, like myself, a therapist or a coach, for a variety of reasons. There may be something you maybe don’t want to talk to your friends or family about because you’re embarrassed or you fear they might judge you. Or you just don’t want them to know in case they worry about you. So, rather than talking to your friends and family, you will seek out a strange person like me, sorry a stranger, somebody who doesn’t know you, somebody who can be impartial and unbiased, non-judgemental where you can talk, and they will listen.
Willie Nicol: And very often that’s enough, just unburdening yourself, unloading if you like, and having a sympathetic ear can make you feel better because that’s the whole point of therapy, it’s to make you feel better.
Willie Nicol: You can go online on our old friend Google and input the search words ‘talking therapy’ and you will find many websites, a lot of information and perhaps a wee bit of overload. One of the most common therapies, talking therapies, is CBT which is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Willie Nicol: That’s only one form of talking therapy. You have ‘behavioural therapy’, you have ‘thinking therapy’, you have ‘talking therapy’ and so on and so forth. So, if you want some talking therapy you might have to research something that’s most appropriate for you. But talking is a good thing and it can be very helpful in a number of areas. So, would you like to know what these are?
David Logan: Yup. Yes, please.
Willie Nicol: So, let’s just say you’re a bit stressed. Talking to someone about your stress can be very beneficial. That’s before we go into any therapeutic interventions to deal with the stress, just talking about it can be helpful. Anger management, physical symptoms, relationship issues, getting on with your family, children, any number of areas where talking to someone can help to alleviate whatever the thing is that’s bugging you.
Willie Nicol: You’ll notice I don’t say “problems” and “issues” here, which are inherently negative. There are “things” that trouble us. Everyone’s got a thing or things, and generally, like stress, anxiety, anger, they’re perfectly natural, all part of life. But when these “things” start taking over and dominating your life, that’s when you need to take action, one option being talking to someone.
Willie Nicol: Now, if all you want to do is talk to someone and let them listen that’s fine, I can do that. However, if you want to talk to someone who would maybe help you to a solution, that’s maybe a bit further down the line. But what I would urge the viewers to do is …. don’t bottle it up. Don’t keep your anger, depression, stress, “good”. Do something about it, or as the old comedy show says, “Dae something”. Inactivity is not an option. Just do something about it. Does that help?
David Logan: Absolutely. At the end of there you said, “Do something, do something about it”. I asked the question about talking. Is it good maybe to get together sometimes, obviously socially distant, I’m thinking exercise or a coffee or ….
Willie Nicol: Yes, it is. I mean going out for a coffee with your chums or a pint or going for a walk or meeting up for a game of snooker or whatever it happens to be. You do these because they’re enjoyable and generally during these activities you talk. So, your buddy will say, “How’s it going”? and you will tell them. And they’ll say, “How are you?” and you’ll tell them, and so on and so forth, right.
Willie Nicol: That’s very general, superficial if you like, but it is also therapeutic. You have a nice night down the pub, or a nice night down the snooker hall or a nice night at the movies, whatever it is, right, you feel better afterwards because you’ve enjoyed yourself, right. These things are strictly curtailed right now so that’s not an option.
Willie Nicol: If things are getting on top of you, one of the easiest things to do is talk about it. But again as I said at the start, it might be easier to talk to a stranger preferably someone who is trained, right, in whatever it happens to be. CBT, behavioural therapy, coaching, whatever, because, these professionals will listen to you without judging you, without laughing at you, without berating you or whatever, right. Because that’s their job and the talking part of it is therapeutic. You’re getting it out, you’re getting it out your system.
Willie Nicol: Other people might say, “Well talking, don’t care. I go for a run or I go for a game of golf or I do some exercise”. We’ve discussed that before also. But what a very simplistic way of dealing with whatever’s annoying you is just to talk about it, get it out in the open and if it’s something you’re embarrassed about, talk to someone like me. A professional, someone who’s not going to judge you, someone who’ll listen to you and maybe make a few suggestions but ultimately help you to get over whatever it is by yourself.
David Logan: Brilliant. So, I think that’s us coming up to the end for this week Willie. Thank you for your …. for answering the question. To you the viewer, if you want to talk, talk! We’re at the end of the phone, message us or drop a comment below. We’ll speak to you, we won’t bite!
David Logan: So, for now, have a great week and remember we’re at the end of the phone. Anything to add Willie?
Willie Nicol: No that’s it. We’re at the end of the phone, we can help should you choose to approach us. All I can say is that it’s a lovely day today and hopefully for the rest of the week. Get out and get some fresh air. Have a walk with someone, have a talk with someone. So, stay safe, stay well and have some fun. Goodbye for now.
David Logan: Goodbye everybody. Have a great day.
