Time is not the main thing: why some conversations are more tiring than others

The article explains why communicating with some people is more exhausting than with others, citing sensory overload, hidden anxiety, and draining self-control. Psychotherapist Madison Jacoby notes that comfort and atmosphere play a key role, not the duration of the conversation. Experts warn of the danger of social isolation due to fear of fatigue.

An article on the Cursor Info website, citing the Hungarian portal Egészségkalauz, explains why some conversations are more tiring than others. The author argues that the metaphor of a "drained social battery" is too simplistic. The real cause is deep sensory overload: the brain simultaneously decodes speech, tone, facial expressions, gestures, and scans the environment for safety. Added to this is metacognition—an internal censor analyzing every word. Psychotherapist Madison Jacoby emphasizes that comfort and atmosphere play a key role, not time. A two-hour business lunch in a noisy restaurant can be more exhausting than a whole day with a close friend. Experts warn that perceiving every contact as a loss of energy leads to dangerous social isolation. The solution is to minimize noise, reduce self-control, and surround yourself with genuine connections.