Profanity And Key Words

[jmni]

How do you feel about profanity?

Sometimes when I have intrusive thoughts the voices will say use profanity in a certain way. Usually like my mother did because she said the same thing over and over again. And sometimes there is a word I think of that my father used way too much.

These phrases seem to be burned in my brain and they wont get out. I hate the way that they sound. I don't really want to use profanity anymore and when I hear it, it really stands out to me. I kind of judge people for using profanity rather than real words because I have to wonder why they can't use actual language.

I guess I think profanity is like a crutch for people who can't think of anything better to say. How do you feel about profanity? Do you avoid using it?

 

[Springer80]

I'm with you, I think it's ugly and vacuous and I only swear when I am absolutely furious (like when I didn't get my court case),or sometimes if I'm joking/imitating with a good friend. I don't think swearing automatically equals profanity though...there has to be an element of vehemence or obscenity.

 

[Leah123]

I have always considered the frequent use of profanity to be a sign of inferior intellect. It shows a lack of self control.

Yet, once I became a mother, started getting triggered, started having problem symptoms again, and angry outbursts, I found myself swearing, feeling as if I couldn't control it. It's one of my absolute least favorite slip ups- to swear. I'm working really hard to stop.

 

[Err0r]

I use profanity frequently but it is not meant in an obscene way. I am educated and have a large vocabulary - but to me, it feels good so I do it. :oops:

 

[Spiderallis]

It's a situational matter for me. I choose the words which would best convey my message to the listener. Some people stop listening when a foul word comes up. Others interpret an expletive as a sign of emphasis and listen more intently. To communicate effectively with my family, I use terms they understand. If I used polite terms they wouldn't hear a word I said.

 

[Err0r]

Exactly, Spiderallis. It's not like I will drop F-words to my boss or something :laugh:

 

[The Albatross]

Yes, I want to avoid using it... and mostly do. There are some exceptions, alone in the car while driving is one. The other is when my tolerance level is down or my level of fatigue is up.

I'm doing a 7 day challenge on it now, and it is vexing but pretty revealing. Mostly it is descriptive, while driving it's more an exclamation when scared/stressed/anxious.

I really want to beat this. I am able to keep my mouth in check during work and client situations. I want though to beat this thing, a 50-something grey haired old lady, swearing is not an inspiring thing. I'm determined to try to break this particularly unattractive habit.

At one point lately, I asked myself "If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a noise even when there is no one there to hear it?" and I decided it does.

Very glad to read the opening post, it gave me some validation this week and helped me to get some more resolve on beating back this unlovely thing.

 

[Raj]

I have a real problem with this, sometimes I swear when triggered and one of my teens is one of my violent abusers. It is hard to avoid when He balls up His fists. It sure doesn't make me feel like a good example when I do it. If I can control my thoughts before I speak then I control the swearing, when triggered it is not always pretty for me or others. Still trying to get past the physical trauma and hate that I repeat being sworn at, I will actually avoid my family over it because I don't what them to have to hear it!

 

[pathos]

I think I'm kind of strange about this. I'm very uncomfortable with profanity offline, mainly in speaking it but also hearing it. There's no particular reason that I know of, though. I don't have anything against profanity, morally. It just... perhaps it makes me think something violent might happen, and scares me? I don't know.

But online, I do swear. Not excessively or anything, but the words aren't off-limits like they are offline. I also don't care if other people swear. I don't know why this is, either...

 

[Donna-1]

I grew up with parents who thought swearing was taboo. Along with drinking, dancing, sex, and all sorts of fun. So I never swore much. I still don't and I'm 55 now. I rarely ever swear in the company of others, but I do sometimes get into the habit of castigating myself with swear words, cursing aloud the fact that I often feel so psychologically rotten. The swearing actually mimics the voices I have heard in my head in the past. I guess I can blame it on them!

 

[Privateer]

I'm Scottish. To us swearing is pretty much a form of punctuation. We don't treat it as serious business at all unless there's real feeling behind it. That combined with my time in the army means that my speech tends to be...lively.

 

[The Albatross]

At least I can report that I have learned my use of profanity is limited to exclamations about situations, and isn't really directed at anyone. I can keep it in check at work and in social groups except for the people I trust and who already accept me... like my spouse and my by phone friends. I noticed I don't tend to curse with my face to face friend. Still working on it... until I can get 7 days without it in a row.