 There are many reasons to keep quiet. Sometimes it's better to listen, or maybe you don't want to draw attention to yourself. Your reasons can have a negative or positive impact. But what happens when you're quiet for so long that you get used to it? These are the reasons why you're so used to being quiet. Restoration. It can be hard being human. When we're in a stressful environment, it seems like we're only ever using our voices to solve problems and extinguish conflicts. There's very little time and space left for us to find the joy in speaking and socializing. The only way for us to restore our minds is to pull ourselves out of conversations and try to create an environment of quietness around ourselves. When this is the only way to restore ourselves, you might get used to being silent for extended periods of time. According to psychologist Miriam Elson, silence can be a source of quiet growth and restoration through which we can be strengthened. Being quiet could be a good thing as you're taking time to heal and find peace. But if you're constantly trying to restore yourself, there could be a source of stress in your life that is causing you harm. Getting close to people. Is it possible to get too close to people? Maybe you've been hurt by someone you never thought could hurt you. Psychologist Arnold Busz posits that fearful shyness and quietness can come after failing a social evaluation. Meaning when we know that we messed up in a social setting, it can scare us into shying away from the next social situation. If someone like a close friend made you feel embarrassed for speaking, that would understandably make you feel really bad. The next time you have something to say, you might choose not to. Then the next time and the next. Until eventually you end up self isolating and being far less sociable than you once were. Over time, you might even forget what it was that made you not like speaking and you've gotten used to staying silent. You are not interested. There's a stereotype that people with depression are quiet. That may be true for some, but not all. However, there is a specific symptom of depression that may be the cause of someone becoming quiet. That is a lack of interest. This could be a loss of interest in your friends, things that used to make you happy or your goals and aspirations. You might be so used to this feeling that you don't even notice how quiet you've gotten. You might have stopped believing that there is anything worth talking about. That's why it's so easy to believe that someone who has lost interest and has become quiet is also depressed. If this sounds like you, you may be experiencing anadonia, which is an inability to enjoy things that are usually enjoyable. According to clinical psychologist Rebecca Watson and her colleagues, anadonia can be more than just an inability to enjoy things. Specifically, you may experience a loss of motivation and sense of connection. Without that sense of connection, it can be hard to find opportunities to talk, even if you wanted to. Observant. You've become used to observing and deriving more entertainment from that than actually participating. It might feel better to see the interpersonal drama of your peers from the outside looking in, or if you enjoy being more involved, you might have started to take an active listening role. Either way, you've gotten used to not getting too involved, and instead hanging back and observing. If you follow then an observant personality type, or you're a thinker, for example, INTJ or ESTJ, you might be used to being silent. This is because your priority in social settings is taking in information. If this sounds like you, according to psychologist Joseph Forges, you may experience mood congruence. Typically, when we're friends, we should be happy. But if you're used to being a silent observer, you might not find joy in being social. Being silent shouldn't come with a stigma. It doesn't mean you're depressed, less passionate, or rude. But it is important to take a close look at why you might have gotten used to being silent. It could point to some sort of dissatisfaction. If you're used to being silent, it's perfectly normal to prefer being silent. But if you're worried that your extended silence is a problem, please try to look after yourself by breaking the silence and speak to a professional. If you enjoyed this video, please like and subscribe to Psych2Go for more videos like this. Do you have any theories as to why you might be used to being so silent? Let us know in the comments. And remember, you are important.