The Hidden Psychological Issues Behind Verbal Tics
How exactly do verbal tics form? Why do people become addicted to them once they develop, often blurting them out uncontrollably?"Actually, 'verbal tic' originally carried a negative connotation," points out Wang Guorong, Senior Supervisor at Suzhou Jung Psychological Counseling Center. It originally referred to monks who hadn't attained enlightenment, yet constantly spouted obscure Zen phrases to appear enlightened. In modern society, it still retains some negative implications."Not only do catchphrases make speech verbose, like a tumor attached to language, but more importantly, some conceal underlying psychological issues."
Wang Yuru, President of the Shanghai Psychological Industry Association, observes that negative and neutral catchphrases dominate, while positive ones remain scarce.A catchphrase reflects the social mindset of a group. She analyzed that those who use catchphrases are predominantly under 30, indicating that modern society's diversity leaves their lives and thoughts in a loose, immature state. Yet they must confront suddenly increased social pressures, resorting to catchphrases as a means of release and venting.Phrases like "boring," "pointless," and "depressed" are typical reflections of this mindset. Professor Huang Yueqin, Vice President of Peking University Sixth Hospital and Director of the Mental Health Center at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, recalled that in the 1960s, the most popular catchphrases were largely positive, such as "Bread will come."This line from the Soviet film Lenin in October became the catchphrase for most young people at the time, inspiring a generation to overcome difficulties and stay positive. "If we define the youth of that era as 'mainstream' and 'idealistic,' today's youth can be defined as 'niche' and 'ideal-less,'" said Wang Yuru. This is the fundamental reason behind the emergence of both positive and negative catchphrases.
Negative catchphrases may serve as psychological release for individuals—saying "What's wrong with you?" or "This sucks," "I'm bummed" can bring temporary relief. "But these negative catchphrases carry strong psychological implications that affect those around them," pointed out Huang Yueqin.
Neutral catchphrases like "Whatever" or "I don't know," Wang Guorong contends, also reflect a mindset of relinquishing personal choice and passive refusal. Those who frequently say "Whatever" often follow the crowd and struggle to make decisions for themselves. "Whatever" carries the subtext of "Don't blame me if it goes wrong—it's not my problem," effectively shifting responsibility.Responding to any question with "I don't know" similarly demonstrates a lack of accountability. Some neutral phrases carry no meaningful content, such as "then," "uh," or "like this." Wang Guorong advises avoiding them whenever possible. Truly effective language is clean, logical, precise, and objective. Adding trivial elements not only creates discomfort but also pollutes the language.
"You can try adopting a positive verbal habit—it's really about shifting your mindset,"" says Liu Xinghua, Associate Professor of Psychology at Capital Normal University. Examples include popular phrases like "Awesome!" or "That rocks!" Following the popularity of the Korean drama "Go for It, Kim Sam-soon" a couple of years ago, many adopted "Go for it!" as a catchphrase. These expressions help maintain a healthy psychological state. When praising others, the inner appreciation felt by the speaker is perceived by the listener, who then reciprocates with similar positive emotions.
Wang Guorong concluded by suggesting that everyone ask those around them about their own catchphrases, then write them down. Consciously analyze which ones appear most frequently, which might offend others, and which have negative effects on oneself. Gradually reduce the frequency of harmful catchphrases—say them 10 times today, 8 times tomorrow—until they are completely eliminated from daily life.
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