How Silence Can Be the Start of a Conversation

Silence is sometimes treated as the opposite of conversation, something to fill or avoid. In reality, comfortable silence, sitting with someone without needing to talk, can itself be an invitation, signalling that there is no pressure to perform or explain. This kind of care rarely goes unnoticed, even when it is not acknowledged straight away.

Within that silence, a person may eventually choose to speak, often more honestly than if they had been asked a direct question straight away. Being willing to sit quietly alongside someone, without rushing to fill the space, is its own form of starting a conversation. This matters just as much in quiet, ordinary moments as in more obvious ones.

If silence eventually gives way to something serious, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14 at any hour, and the Suicide Call Back Service can be reached on 1300 659 467. It is a reasonable thing to try, whatever the outcome turns out to be.