Healthline: Why an Insult can Feel Like a Verbal 'Slap in the Face'
“Words can hurt. Anyone who has ever had their feelings hurt can attest to that.
And now new research finds that insulting words can have a physical effect on the body, too. A new paper published in Frontiers in Communication suggests that hearing insults are akin to receiving a verbal “mini slap in the face.”
Researchers of the study used electroencephalography (EEG) and skin conductance recordings to compare the short-term impact of repeated verbal insults to that of repeated positive or neutral statements. The electrodes were applied to 79 female participants. In the setting of the experiment, the insults were absorbed the same way mini slaps to the face would be.
“The vast majority of people strive for a sense of community and belonging. This is driven by both a physical and psychological need for connection and survival. Therefore, people persistently scan their environment for threats to safety or belonging,” said Allison Forti, PhD, associate teaching professor in the Department of Counseling at Wake Forest University, who wasn’t involved with the study. “Obvious threats include acts of physical violence but more subtle, though not necessarily more benign, can be verbal threats. Verbal threats or even minor insults can activate the human stress response alerting the mind and body to prepare for survival. When survival is tied to a sense of belonging or psychological safety, it may not take much to create a physiological response.”
Some Insights From This Article
Sometimes words can hurt more so than sticks and stones, as social creatures we have capabilities of being affected in either positive or negative ways by words.
Oftentimes some verbal word or phrase can hurt as much as being slapped in the face and it's important to understand that words aren’t something that some people can take lightly and be unchanged.
It’s a good reminder to be careful with our words as they can be as harmful and damaging to someone as physical threats. Additionally in a more positive sense, words can also be used to help build each other up and affirm each other positively!
Have you ever had an instance where words have hurt you?
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@sunnyWriting4806
Have you ever had an instance where words have hurt you?
yes i have, I feel words hurt more than physical abuse. Words stick with you almost like a bruise that never goes away. It hurts my self esteem, my confidence and my pride. I use to hurt others with my words and today i am not that person anymore, as i have been through so much regarding this topic, and all i want to do today is spread positivity and kindness and love. Without it, where would the world end up? I wish i could go back and take back all the hurtful things i have said to someone else, as it is not right and i "injured" those with my hurtful words. Spread positivity always, <3
@magicalOcean594
Thanks for sharing that I'm sorry that you have experienced how truly painful words can be. But yes, words have an equal and effective power in building people with positivity which we can use to make the world a better place!
@sunnyWriting4806
This article is so accurate! We should definitely be mindful of what we are saying. It reminds me of this quote: "A moment of patience in a moment of anger prevents a thousand moments of regret." and I find it very true. Sometimes it is better to walk away to cool off than to say things that could hurt beyond repair.
I have experienced pain from words and I can agree that sometimes it can be equally hurtful as something physical. I think it might be because, in words, there are so many additional interpretations that can stick for a long time and keep us ruminating about them.
@globalBraid3744
Right. Often times physical threats and abuse are clear in meaning and can only mean one possible interpretation. Bruises heal, wounds close. But words can mean a lot of things with many different interpretations and that's why they can end up being so hurtful.