Shortcuts in speech

As much as I acknowledge the inadequacy of "She's slowing down", there are good reasons for it. That also came up in Origin.

I don't want to spoil the movie, so let's just say that the protagonist suffers multiple personal losses throughout. While talking to a friend, she talks about trying to navigate and communicate without screaming. One believes that if she wanted to scream, her friend would let her, but the friend's husband has just taken their children to bed... that would be very disruptive.

It is reasonable not to disturb others around you -- that is just being considerate -- but then we get this stigma where if you are too loud or disruptive you are seen as not fitting in.

Plus, what if we are allowing terrible situations to continue because everyone except psychopaths are being too considerate to get the issues out there?

(That is a real concern, but I am going to stick with the individual today.)

I remember once being in the middle of hard times, but I was going to be at an amusement park. I thought, "Well, I better scream when I am on the roller coasters and get it out."

I am not generally a screamer (roller coasters are more likely to make me laugh), but I tried it. 

It did not really help, maybe because that isn't my thing, or maybe because it was still too controlled.

As it is, not everyone who asks how my mother is doing needs the whole story. I have regular communication with my family, and the blog gets a lot of things out for me. I am probably okay, except there is this other thing I have noticed.

I keep finding other people who just have so much to say.

In one way, they aren't so much saying a lot as they are taking a long time to say it, like once someone is listening it unleashes some kind of desperation.

Personally, I have seen that with myself more since the pandemic started. Sometimes a conversation starts and I just can't stop talking.

So the thing that I am worried about is that we have something missing, where people have all of these pent up emotions that they can't express productively; are there things we can do to improve that?

Not all expression is productive. I think it goes better when the person talking has done some thinking about it beforehand (perhaps writing about it, in my case). However, if someone listening just helps affirm that the speaker is cared for, that can be worth a lot.

For a second "however", that can also end up being really draining for the listener.

Maybe everyone just needs to go into therapy, to have a trained professional guiding them among the landmines, but there's a shortage of people available. I know various people seeking therapy who have a hard time finding openings.

They can look because they have coverage. Not everyone does.

I don't have an answer here. I can only offer my sympathy and a general wish for kindness and consideration.

I am grateful that I am part of a good household situation and that I have a blog.

Do you have what you need?

Do you know what you need?

At least give it some thought.