A while back I wrote a piece on my favourite methods for dealing with anxiety and I ended it by stating that I would post any other ones that came to mind. After stubbing my toe yesterday and issuing a string of highly articulate and inventive profanities that would have made a sailor blush, it finally dawned upon me that I actually felt much better for doing so. It also got me thinking about the times when I have been highly stressed or anxious and whether or not swearing (in private I might add), helped me to deal with the situation. I can remember repeating a certain word (that rhymes with bit) whilst hurtling down a black run on a pair of skis, certain that at any moment something would give and I would soon resemble a giant rolling ball of snow. I didn’t in the end, but my chant, rather perversely, gave me a sense of control and focus. I have lost count of the times when that particular chant has helped me through a difficult situation.
On a psychological level, swearing gives us a sense of control when we have none. When everything else is going down the pan, we can still decide what comes out of our mouth. It almost seems to provide a release for the pent up pain and suffering. Saying socially unacceptable words expresses anguish far more eloquently than any poet ever could. In making it known, the pain somehow lessens. I would never suggest screaming obscenities at the top of your lungs whilst in the middle of a crowded mall. That would most likely end up with you being unceremoniously stuffed into the back of a police car whilst a group of elderly ladies give a series of disapproving looks. If you internalise the dialogue, then you can avoid this particular outcome. Shouting offensive language in your head can work wonders in times of great stress. Points are scored for ingenuity as it will help to take your mind of the cause of your problems. Have fun with it.
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