I'm a quiet type in person until I get to know you pretty well. I guess I always felt it better to be thought a fool than to open my mouth and prove it :) Seriously, I learned to keep my my thoughts to myself at a young age - in my early family life, speaking could often result in undesirable consequences. I prefer the company of those who do not feel a need to talk nonstop, and are comfortable with periods of silence. My maternal grandparents were one of those couples where she talked a lot, and he very little ... and I'm sure he often turned off the hearing aids :)

I am reminded of the saying that he/she who talks the most usually has the least to say.

I think it is not too good to categorize people. We really don't know what is going on inside someone. Some people talk and write alot because they release tension that way. Some people like to gossip. Others are codependent, and overdo and overtalk. Who really knows why some are talkers and some are silent. Everyone is okay.

"Yes dear."

Marti,

Is there such a thing as a "talking" disorder? I am aware of a few persons that have the Gift of Gap, as you described.

Verbal is called logorrhea and is often associated with mania (like in Bipolar). Written is called hypergraphia and can also be associated with mania.

Extroverts are also more likely to be talkative. It can be one of those irritating "things" between introverts and extroverts.

Constant talking - better known as the "gift of gab" is commonly seen in people who are very obsessive compulsive. They may also be observed as having other compulsive/addictive behaviors ie. workaholism, hoarding, alcoholism and others. Then there is their counterpart the "strong silent type" who more often than not can be described as passive/aggressive. I think most of us fall somewhere inbetween these two extremes. Just what makes them "tick" is anybody's guess - probably a brain thing that can be helped with medication.

PTpan and anakris,

Thanks for the replies. My neighbor across the street has this non-stop talking disorder. I remember one time, while in my front yard mowing, we began a conversation, she did all the talking for 2 1/2 hours. She also is a hoarder and obsessed with naturalism. With that said, she is a very nice neighbor to have.

There is also a continuum of the logorrhea disorder. It can be part of the manic manifestation of bi-polar disorder. There are the extreme ends like Roger's neighbor, who will talk all day unless you literally walk away, with them still talking, or hang up the phone saying bye, bye, talk to you later, and they are still talking as you hang up. Then there is a milder version with the person just not noticing the glazed look on the face of their listener. There is a compulsion to keep connected by being helpful and by giving all the information one knows on any subject in one long info dump.

On the other extreme end of logorrhea, is the person who can be trained to look for the signals that they have said enough, and to stop and take a breath and let the other person speak. They learn these techniques for successful social interaction only as techniques. They never truly want to hear what the other is saying, but have learned that in order to keep someone with you, you must give them their turn in speaking.

It is seen as a means of connection, of holding the listener connected to you, like the way some people will grab your arm as they talk to you so you can't get away. By giving out an unremitting stream of talk, the talker keeps the polite person glued to them. It is sometimes viewed as a fear of isolation and being alone, so by keeping a person connected to you by non-stop verbiage, the person actually foils their own efforts at not being alone, as more and more people learn to avoid them.

Listening 101, anyone?

Even those of us who don't talk nonstop can often forget how to listen. Instead of really listening while another person is talking, we are often busy thinking of what we're going to say next, as soon as the opportunity arises. Learning to listen would seem to be something that those with logorrhea might benefit from.