I read an article recently, which asserted that teens who share their secrets are more confident in social situations than others who keep secrets to themselves.

So that’s what went wrong with my childhood!

About 79% of those surveyed in a Dutch study of 790 people said they shared at least one secret with parents, friends, teachers and neighbors. 

Students who tended to keep secrets to themselves were more likely to have increased rule-breaking behavior, illnesses, mood disorders and dysfunctional relationships.

In the study, girls shared more secrets than boys and were deemed more likely to reap the health benefits.

I don’t know if this applies to adults, but I’m thinking yes. 

Sharing secrets is less troubling and makes us happier.

This doesn’t mean go out and blab your innermost thoughts to the next person you see because it’s not that simple. 

Often we are troubled by that which eats us alive — the things that we needlessly keep to ourselves when sharing our secrets with a trusted person makes us feel better and healthier.

“Secrets are things we give to others to keep for us” — Elbert Hubbard