Why talking helps

When you're going through a tough time, one of the best and most effective things you can do to feel better is to talk to someone. We asked a bunch of young people and experts to explain why talking is so effective.

Why does talking to someone help?

• Talking to someone can help you feel less alone, and like you’re not the only one going through something.
• Sometimes, you’re not looking for the person you speak to to solve your problems, you just want them to listen. You can feel a lot better after just letting it out.
• Often, people find talking to someone so helpful that they wish they’d done it a lot sooner.
• Experts say that talking can provide stress relief, and can lighten the load of a concern someone might be having.
• Talking about a problem can help to start breaking it into smaller parts, which can stop you from feeling so overwhelmed.
• Choosing someone from outside of the situation can help you have a different perspective on things.