According to a new study, swearing can give you a higher tolerance for pain.
Lots of theories abound, but the one that makes the most since to me is that most people who are on a sincere swearing fit are amped up when they're doing it. And maybe the elevated heart rates drive up adrenaline levels or something, lowering your sensitivity to pain.
And in case someone slow is reading this, by "sincere" I don't mean good or pure or any of those other secondary definitions. I'm talking about people who swear and mean it.
I try to maintain a clean tongue, and I'm not always successful at it. But I still have some catching up to do. If I want to be pain free, "fudge it," and "son of a biscuit eater" ain't gonna work anymore.
One question though: does this cussing-dampens-pain theory apply to internal pain too, like sadness, heartbreak, etc? I'm gonna guess not.
BTW, follow me: http://twitter.com/jamesburnett.
So,
Hot DAMN! This explains why after I curse at my mother-in-law it doesn't hurt much when my wife slaps me upside my head.
Posted by: the sarcasticynic | July 15, 2009 at 05:47 AM
Well, I know I always feel better after saying a cuss word (especially if I have stubbed a toe, bonked my head, or jarred an elbow!)
Posted by: Karmyn R | July 16, 2009 at 02:36 PM
In have run out of the normal expletives. I have used them so often, with such vigor, that I have plainly worn them out. I have to make u-p new expletives just to make any sense of it all.
Posted by: og | July 16, 2009 at 09:15 PM
When I do suffer mild cases of the blues as I was prone to the last week I tended to cuss much less because I was feeling less spunky. Perhaps it's the motivation that results in actual reaction to something. When you are bummed you tend to be a bit indifferent. So the lack of indifference in upbeat moods results in the need to dampen pain through reaction - somewhat of a way to bite down on something. Anyways that's my theory.
Posted by: C... | July 17, 2009 at 02:59 PM
Maybe it's because swearing feeds anger and the mind can only focus on one stimulus at a time, so the anger helps to minimize the pain.
You raise a good question about the internal kind of pain. I wish there were a good solution to that.
Posted by: heartinsanfrancisco | July 19, 2009 at 08:46 PM