Swearing Is Officially Good For Our Mental Health, Study Finds

Getting a few bad words off your chest is actually beneficial to your mental health, according to a new study.

Of those surveyed, more than a quarter (28%) of people said that swearing helped them stay motivated during the UK’s second lockdown, while 41% said they sometimes swore at themselves to boost enthusiasm.

The study also found that 36% of the app’s users swear to reduce stress, and 27% said swearing helps them feel better on a bad day.

According to the research, which was carried out by wellness app Clementine, the UK’s favourite swear words are f*ck (coming in at 69%), sh*t (62%) and b*ll*cks (32%).

However, half of those surveyed said they stop short of using the c-word, and of those that do use it, the majority are men.

One language expert, Dr Emma Byrne, said profanities can serve as a painkiller, mood-booster and even a social bonding tool.

She said:

Swearing engages both sides of your brain, the language centre in the left brain and the emotional centre in the right brain, and the positive impact of this is far-reaching.

Research also shows that women are just as partial to a bit of swearing as men – meaning all of us can benefit. I’m not surprised that more people are turning to bad language in 2020. Swear words pack an emotional punch that other parts of language just can’t match.

The study also found regional preferences between swear words of choice. Those surveyed in Scotland were more likely to use the word a**e, while tw*t was the swear word of choice in the east Midlands.

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