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Author Topic:   Swearing Makes Pain More Tolerable
T
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posted July 13, 2009 11:15 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090712/sc_livescience/swearingmakespainmoretolerable

Swearing is a common response to pain, but no previous research has connected the uttering of an expletive to the actual physical experience of pain.
"Swearing has been around for centuries and is an almost universal human linguistic phenomenon," said Richard Stephens of Keele University in England and one of the authors of the new study. "It taps into emotional brain centers and appears to arise in the right brain, whereas most language production occurs in the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain."
Stephens and his fellow Keele researchers John Atkins and Andrew Kingston sought to test how swearing would affect an individual's tolerance to pain. Because swearing often has an exaggerating effect that can overstate the severity of pain, the team thought that swearing would lessen a person's tolerance.
As it turned out, the opposite seems to be true.
The researchers enlisted 64 undergraduate volunteers and had them submerge their hand in a tub of ice water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice. The experiment was then repeated with the volunteer repeating a more common word that they would use to describe a table.
Contrary to what the researcher expected, the volunteers kept their hands submerged longer while repeating the swear word.
The researchers think that the increase in pain tolerance occurs because swearing triggers the body's natural "fight-or-flight" response. Stephens and his colleagues suggest that swearing may increase aggression (seen in accelerated heart rates), which downplays weakness to appear stronger or more macho.
"Our research shows one potential reason why swearing developed and why it persists," Stephens said.
The results of the study are detailed in the Aug. 5 issue of the journal NeuroReport.

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GypseeWind
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posted July 13, 2009 11:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for GypseeWind     Edit/Delete Message
guilty of a potty mouth.
Though not as bad as my mother. She has the worst potty mouth I've ever heard! Driving with her is surreal! Her road rage makes her invent swear words that don't even make sense!!

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Glaucus
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posted July 13, 2009 01:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glaucus     Edit/Delete Message

I am definitely guilty of profanity when I am angry. When I am furious,I can really go off on somebody.

also

rage makes me feel pain less.

When I was 17 years,I got jumped by four guys in high school cafeteria. I was being hit a lot. All that did was make me angrier and angrier, and I fought harder and harder.
I went nuts on them,and most of the people thought I beat them up. I ended up hitting a teacher that held me,but I was too blind in my rage at the time.
It wasn't until after the rage went away, I felt the pain.


that's one of the reasons, I need to keep my anger under control.


Raymond

------------------
“It is absolutely the perfect name,” Dr. Brown said, given the continuing discord among astronomers and the public over whether Pluto should have retained its planetary status.

In mythology, Eris ignited discord that led to the Trojan War.

“She causes strife by causing arguments among men, by making them think their opinions are right and everyone else’s is wrong,” Dr. Brown said. “It really is just perfect.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/15/science/space/15xena.html?_r=1

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cpn_edgar_winner
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posted July 13, 2009 02:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for cpn_edgar_winner     Edit/Delete Message
the f bomb works the best.

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katatonic
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posted July 13, 2009 03:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for katatonic     Edit/Delete Message
makes sense to me! i would think at the very least that swearing triggers release of adrenalin, which makes pain easier to bear for sure...

i'm sure there are other ways of diverting the experience of suffering...for instance my dad taught us when you burn your fingers cooking, immediate forceful pinching of the ear lobe with the hurt finger dilutes the pain by spreading it thinner...sounds potty but it works!!

another thing i learned from my dad, which has come up in numerous more spiritual searches, is that "it's only pain", ie, pain is a signal, and just another part of life, and doesn't have to be traumatic...

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AcousticGod
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posted July 14, 2009 06:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message
This was on the morning news this morning.

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Cynnared
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posted July 14, 2009 09:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Cynnared     Edit/Delete Message
I LOVE THIS! Swears can come out too easy for me but I will keep this in mind when I'm giving birth next month. I swore when my daughter was coming out 7 years ago.

Cynn

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GypseeWind
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posted July 14, 2009 10:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for GypseeWind     Edit/Delete Message
swearing is totally acceptable and expected during childbirth.

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hippichick
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posted July 14, 2009 11:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for hippichick     Edit/Delete Message
Nurses and Sailors have potty mouths elite!!!

To me it is re-lease....

I do not take it personally, ever.

To me it gets out anger-energy...why keep it in...to develope cancer or something?

Fred Durst of the immortal Limp Bizkit put it the best-ever way that I could imagine!

(the following contains ex-plicit words, language and "supposed" meanings!!! PLEASE do not watch if you are not able to hear explitives!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QqigamlsHQ

ps WHAT A GREAT THREAD!!!

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Glaucus
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posted July 15, 2009 12:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glaucus     Edit/Delete Message

Yeah,...I was in the navy,and a lot of cussing there.


Raymond

------------------
“It is absolutely the perfect name,” Dr. Brown said, given the continuing discord among astronomers and the public over whether Pluto should have retained its planetary status.

In mythology, Eris ignited discord that led to the Trojan War.

“She causes strife by causing arguments among men, by making them think their opinions are right and everyone else’s is wrong,” Dr. Brown said. “It really is just perfect.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/15/science/space/15xena.html?_r=1

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BlueTopaz124
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posted July 15, 2009 12:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for BlueTopaz124     Edit/Delete Message
They were talking about this on the radio on my way to work today too...like when you have the kitchen cabinet open above your head and you stand up straight and the corner of the door hits you right in the middle of the head....talk about blinding pain...or having the car door slammed shut on your finger.

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SunChild
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posted July 15, 2009 12:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SunChild     Edit/Delete Message
Maybe I should have tried that during childbirth...... As a matter of fact, I don't recall swearing or screaming.

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PeaceAngel
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posted July 15, 2009 01:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PeaceAngel     Edit/Delete Message
I think that makes sense. I know when I bump my head or get hurt the first thing that happens is I swear.

I think there's still this odd sense of taboo about swearing so when it comes out of your mouth, we are programmed in such a way, that the focus automatically goes into what was said and the response to it rather than your pain. So it's diverting your pain. The other element to it is for similar reasons, it offers some comic relief, which makes someone laugh and then has that same effect of taking their mind away from the pain.

I have no issues with swearing. I swear profusely in day-to-day life. But when I'm angry - oh, if it were a movie, you couldn't put a rating to it.

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pire
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posted July 15, 2009 10:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for pire     Edit/Delete Message
There is swearing and swearing i think. If i get burned or my head knock the door frame, which happen often since im tall, then i do swear. Actually, i got used to hit my head on doors' frame. So i swear less systematically here.

But one thing i find about easily swearing is that we end up swearing in front of others. Kids see us and think that swearing is normal and may be even cool.

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T
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posted July 15, 2009 10:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message
Funny how it seems to help when you stub a toe or something.

I dont swear around kids either pire.

Now I have to really watch it because i hang out with a bunch of potty-mouthed guys and i notice i'm starting to talk too much like a dude. yuck. lol must be natal neptune in the 11th house. my sailor-mouth became especially bad while spending a year with my swearing dad.

for the most part i can catch myself though. depends on who i'm around.

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D for Defiant
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posted July 15, 2009 11:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for D for Defiant     Edit/Delete Message
I no longer swear.

It does not make me a better person.

A lot of people might agree on the concept that cursing releases one's pain, rage, and so forth.

Profanity is the language of hate.

The language of death force.

The language most favored by the dark forces.

If I sound judgmental, I don't mean to be. It just is.

Again, it by no means makes me a better individual.

Vulgarity/Expletives/Profanity/Obscenities are harmful to the life force. They are the language of hate.

It simply is.

Just my two cents.

I would not categorize anyone as "not worthy" or "not my friend" if one does swear.

I hope that makes sense.

D

------------------
Every night and every morn,
Some to misery are born;
Every morn and every night,
Some are born to sweet delight.
Some are born to sweet delight,
Some are born to endless night.

~William Blake

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T
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posted July 15, 2009 11:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message
I know what youre saying D. However, Ive come to view swear words just like any other words.

I think it's the energy, or life force behind them that matters. Not the empty words themselves.

Swearing in a rage might be different than in fun, but i think it's the rage that is the part that is harmful, not words, but the energy coming through them or any words.

Just a thought.

Have a great day everyone. Got to head out.

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PeaceAngel
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posted July 15, 2009 11:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PeaceAngel     Edit/Delete Message
quote:
Profanity is the language of hate.

The language of death force.

The language most favored by those who are the opposite of good.



Stirring trouble and causing arguments, and bringing judgement and negativity is the language of hate - but it has nothing to do with swearing unless someone is using it derogatively toward someone else.

Interesting reply. Oh, and if swearing is the opposite of good - then, I'm hardly an angel. But I guess you knew that anyway.

That's my take on it.

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PeaceAngel
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posted July 15, 2009 11:32 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PeaceAngel     Edit/Delete Message
Nicely put T.

I think swearing is just part of every day life - and that's how it is. It wasn't like that when I was little, but I think it's just evolved that way.

EDIT: And yeah, it is the intention of the words or the user. Non-swear words can be used and be more venomous than any curse words.

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Deux*Antares
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posted July 15, 2009 01:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Deux*Antares     Edit/Delete Message
I am not against swearing especially if it's in the appropriate context, like in the subject of the article. If it would help lessen your pain I'd gladly do it for you, too. LOL

I would rather be seen as f*cking improper or unlady-like for 5 f*ck!ng minutes of swearing than to live with f*cking accumulated negative energies.

But it's another thing if you use swear words without reason or because your vocabulary is limited, like when you use curse words as replacement for nouns, adjectives or adverbs.

------------------
Be humble, but not weak.

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Cynnared
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posted July 15, 2009 03:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Cynnared     Edit/Delete Message
I can recall what I said when my daughter crowned and it just slipped out......and then her father (my ex) told her what I said when she was born and she goes to me....'OOOOOOhhhhhhh mommy, you said bad words when I was born........" I'm a bout ready to shoot my ex!

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katatonic
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posted July 15, 2009 11:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for katatonic     Edit/Delete Message
sidetrack. for cynn...when my grandson was being born his dad tried to distract my daughter by asking her "what's the first thing you're going to do when this is over?" to which she replied wholeheartedly "KILL YOU!!" i'm sure all mothers can relate...

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AcousticGod
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posted July 15, 2009 11:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message
I wonder if swearing makes Palin more tolerable.

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Cynnared
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posted July 16, 2009 12:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Cynnared     Edit/Delete Message
kata.....ohhhhhhh my boyfriend is sooooooooooooooooooo getting fixed! I think I'm gonna do a few practice curse words...the baby has dropped and holy hell is it hard to get around my apartment now......the bf has to help me to bed and to the living room and out the door etc......

I don't see about the killing him cause I'll need him for when the baby starts crying at 3 am and I can boot his butt out of bed to feed her and he can go on poopy diaper duty cause he has no sense of smell......

Cynn


My narcissistic ex hates it when I curse but talking to him can be painful as hell. Sometimes curse words really get the point across.......but the poor narc think I'm describing him by cursing....NOT!!!....lol

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PeaceAngel
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posted July 16, 2009 12:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PeaceAngel     Edit/Delete Message
Oh AG, you throw in some crackers!

At first I thought, does Palin's swearing make her more tolerable and then I thought, wait, your swearing makes her more tolerable. Any which way!

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