Watch Your Mouth
By Ian Hjerleid
As children we are typically taught not to swear or use foul language by our parents. This lesson is reinforced when we enter the school system. While kids are being taught not to swear do they still hear foul language? Hell yes they do! While swearing is considered wrong or disrespectful in many parts of our lives, it is something that still commonly happens and can even be beneficial. I know what your thinking “How is that possible? All my life my parents yelled at me for swearing”. Stay with me a little longer and I’ll explain how swearing can be beneficial in your life if done correctly.
Self-expression- Swearing allows us a simple universal way to express ourselves. The same swear word can mean many different things depending on the situation and how it is said. For example, the word fuck when said usually means that someone Is upset or angry, but when you say fuck yeah, you may be excited about a situation. This added emphasis is an easy way to understand what someone is trying to say and allows for communication of emotions that for some people may be hard to convey.
Social bonding- Take a step back for a second and think about when you are most likely to say or hear foul language. For the majority of people this isn’t at work or around your family. Your probably are the most likely to hear it around your peers. Swearing around our friends can play a big part in social bonding and showing that someone is comfortable in a group setting.
Health benefits-Imagine this, you are on your way to work and someone cuts you off on the highway. A lot of people would call the other driver some sort of name and tell them to learn how to drive. Right away you are angry, but after about 30 seconds and a good swear word, you can let it go and feel better. This has to do with the health benefits of swearing. The benefits of swearing include increased circulation, elevated endorphins, and an overall sense of calm, control, and well-being. Researchers found that swearing in moderate amounts can decrease pain perception. Participants were able to use swearing as a type of pain modification. Swearing as an emotional response may cut down on actual physiological pain experiences. These benefits were not found in participants who had the highest daily swearing rates though. The key to obtaining health benefits of swearing is to do it occasionally, even purposely when there is a good reason to get angry or upset; like getting angry in traffic or shouting when you stub your toe. Too much anger and aggression can have negative emotional effects.
While swearing can still be inappropriate in some situations, like in church or sitting at Christmas dinner with grandma, there are some benefits to letting out the occasional naughty word. I do not see many of use stopping anytime soon, and that is not going to be a problem if you do not do over do it. Sprinkle in a couple swear words here and there and see if you notice any benefits!
References
Burton, N. (May 19, 2012). Hell yes: The 7 best reasons for swearing. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201205/hell-yes-the-7-best-reasons-swearing
Stephens, R. & Umland, C. (2011). Swearing as a response to pain—effect of daily swearing frequency. Journal of Pain, 12, 1274-1281.