VERBORRHEA: CHARACTERISTICS, CAUSES AND DISORDERS - PSYCHOLOGY - 2024

The verbiage is the feature by which some people speak or write using more words than are necessary to transmit information. It is a trait that does not have to be harmful; however, on some occasions it causes difficulties in the lives of the individuals who present it.

The term verbiage is frequently used in fields such as literature or politics. In psychology, the technical term for excessive speech is logorrhea. People with this problem are unable to avoid using overly complex language, often due to some kind of brain damage or disorder.

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Verbiage can cause difficulties for the person with this trait in areas such as personal relationships or the world of work. Even so, in most cases these difficulties are not too serious. Furthermore, this tendency to speak excessively complex language can be corrected with relative ease.

In this article we will see what exactly verbiage is, as well as some of the most common causes for which it appears and when it can be considered part of a mental disorder.

characteristics

Use of excessively complex language

The most important characteristic of verbiage is the tendency to use complicated language without a real need to do so. This may involve, for example, the use of unusual words, long sentences, unnecessary repetition or excessive use of adjectives.

This characteristic causes that, in most cases, it is difficult to understand the person with verbiage. In the worst cases, the person may even make up their own words or modify existing ones, making it even more difficult to understand what they want to say.

Little content in the language

The other fundamental characteristic of verbiage is a lack of meaning in many of the words used. Rather than trying to convey information in a concise way, people with this trait add terms to their speech that don't really provide information.

Constant topic changes

Although this characteristic is not present in all cases of verbiage, when it occurs it can cause more problems than usual for people who suffer from it.

On some occasions, individuals with this way of speaking have difficulty keeping their speech around a single topic, and jump from one topic to another quickly.

This, together with their excessive use of complex words and the emptiness of their messages, causes their interlocutors to feel confused and have difficulty understanding what they want to convey.

Causes

Most of the time, verbiage does not occur due to any type of mental disorder. On the contrary, it appears due to different characteristics of the personality or characteristics of the person. However, it can sometimes be associated with brain damage or some psychological illnesses.

In this section we will look at some of the most common causes of verbiage.

Attempts to clarify one's thinking

Some people innately have a disorganized and complex way of thinking. When these individuals speak and try to convey their ideas, they often use complex words and phrases and have difficulty expressing themselves concisely.

Unsafety

On many occasions, the need to talk a lot and in a complex way is used to compensate for some type of insecurity or lack of self-esteem. This can take several forms, some of the most common being attempts to avoid awkward silences, and the need to impress others.

For some people, the existence of silences in a conversation causes excessive stress that they cannot bear. These individuals will do everything in their power to avoid these situations, including talking excessively or constantly changing the subject for fear that the one being treated is not overly self-indulgent.

On the other hand, some individuals feel that they have to impress their interlocutors every time they have a conversation. Using complex words and phrases can give you a sense of superiority, helping you in this regard.

Feelings of greatness

Paradoxically, some people with verbiage manifest this behavior due to the opposite cause to the previous one. Certain individuals feel superior to others, and think they have a lot to contribute in their conversations or written texts. Because of this, they try to make them as long as possible and make them very complex.

In general, however, this strategy to show what one knows or to stand above the rest tends to hide a lack of real knowledge. Many critics, especially in the field of literature, argue that verbiage actually points to those who do not have much to say.

Psychological or brain disorders

As we have already seen, in most cases, verbiage is not associated with any psychological or mental problem, but rather appears due to certain personal characteristics of those who present this trait. However, sometimes excessively fluent speech is related to certain disorders.

In these cases, the condition is known as logorrhea, and it can be caused by different clinical causes. One of the most common is brain damage, for example in areas such as the frontal lobe, the ascending inhibitory reticular system, or the thalamus. Certain injuries to Broca's or Wernicke's area can also lead to this condition.

On the other hand, sometimes logorrhea is presented as a symptom of a more serious psychological problem.

Disorders in which it appears

Although not the most common, logorrhea can appear as a cause of an underlying psychological disorder. Some of the most common are hyperactivity, mania (such as that found in bipolar disorder), catatonia, or schizophrenia.

In cases where the verbiage is caused by a mental disorder, it is often necessary to treat the underlying problem before this symptom can be eliminated.

However, due to the difficulty that this usually entails, the person is sometimes taught strategies to make their speech easier while working on their illness.

References

1. "Verbosity" in: Psychology Today. Retrieved on: February 03, 2019 from Psychology Today: psychologytoday.com.
2. "Verbiage" in: Psychiatry. Retrieved on: February 03, 2019 from Psychiatry: psiquiatria.com.
3. "Verbosity" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: February 03, 2019 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org.
4. "The annoying verbiage" in: The Mind is Wonderful. Retrieved on: February 03, 2019 from La Mente es Maravillosa: lamenteesmaravillosa.com.
5. "Logorrhea" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: February 03, 2019 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org.