IPOC

Literally, this is an acronym I started using to cut down on the profanity in my autobiography (it was either the acronym or this [joke]). It stands for:

insert pejorative of choice

Swearing - or profanity, if you prefer - can have an emotional benefit when it is a release – which even has its own word: lalochezia (definitions at  The Free Dictionary,  Wiktionary,  and  Emma Wilkin).  (For more on this, see  The Conversation,  APA,  Science Daily,  Science Direct [includes commentary on what isn’t known],  Therapy Tips [benefits include pain relief, emotional regulation, self-confidence, and managing social rejection, but if overused the benefits are lost],  NeuroLaunch [fast emotional release, may indicate more honest, but can also mask unresolved anger or anxiety – context etc indicates whether will harm relationships/credibility],  Brain Health University,  and  NPR.) 

It can also be just a form of verbal abuse, but for the occasions where swearing is necessary as a form of release, given that so many swear words can genuinely be problematic for valid reasons, I have started using “IPOC” - which stands for “insert pejorative of choice”. (Sometimes I use “ED”, which means “expletive deleted”, but that comes across to me as an insipid editing notation, and doesn’t inspire to rethink anything.)  

It gives me that momentary release, and reminds me to see if I can find a better (more constructive) way to deal with the situation. I prefer that to screaming, which can also upset people, and I am from a generation and worked (when I first came up with this) in a backwards profession where crying is actively discouraged and can lead to personal retribution (real world consequences being a factor too often forgotten).  

 

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