Most of us use the word cathartic when we refer to anything that causes relief. A “good cry,” or similar action is cathartic because, after we’ve done it, we just feel better, clearer headed or ready to move on, right? I used this word recently in reference to my weekend, during which I’d done a lot of thinking, planning, cleaning and more-or-less purging of old things and thoughts.

After I used the word I though to myself, as I often do, “was that the word I should’ve used?” I promptly looked it up just to make sure I didn’t sound like an idiot (like the time I confused incredible and incredulous — not their meanings, just their appropriate uses). As it turns out, I probably could’ve gotten away with catharsis but should have thought twice about cathartic. Here’s why:

Catharsis, a noun, mostly has to do with purging of unwanted emotions, leaving behind mysery or experiencing a kind of release. First used by Aristotle, catharsis  was once thought only to happen after viewing theater, and it certainly retains some relationship to the arts, but has lately expanded in meaning. Now, we can experience catharsis from reading, viewing art or just living, too.

While still not the best description of a weekend, it’s far better than cathartic which, despite some obvious connections to catharsis, is more often used to refer to “evacuation of the bowels.” To boot, cathartic is usually a noun. I shudder to think what the other half of this dialogue thought I did all weekend. Sure, it’s used to discuss emotional purging, too, but that didn’t start until the late 1800s.

The moral of the story is twofold: First, use cathartic when you mean to speak of a synonym for laxative, and second, think before you speak.

Cheers,

N