I think you are right.
I swear to God, I thought I was the only one.
This happens to me all the time! It was no big deal when I was younger and single...but now? Very uncomfortable! I have followed thru with the urge twice (pre-marriage) and I highly recommend it!
Yes to all three scenarios. Love your blog...
When is cring coming to L.A.?? Oh the material I could contribute....
Oh thankgod it happens to other people. I think you just saved me an embarrassing trip to a therapist one day.
Oh, me too.
Holy shit, I've never heard anyone else say that, but I've thought that a lot.
Every goddamn day. Every day. You are in my brain pantry or something, Sarah Brown!
*raises hand*
I've always thought of it as sort of reflex, a biological remnant of needing to make physical contact with someone in your "in" group, either sexually or just by that kind of touching that at least in the US we don't usually do with non-sex partners. Still always embarrasses the hell out of me.
Yup me too. I think the problem is that we phased out a lot of the physical hellos and now we're kinda creepy and repressed.
that used to happen to me all the time, then i noticed i only ever got the urge when i was being bored by what they were saying.
no, it's just you, sarah.
Me too. I also used get the urge to say "I love you" when hanging up the phone after talking with my boss. Even though I definitely did not love him. That used to freak me out a little too.
oh me too. there are other urges that i have to suppress for safety's sake, and i'm just glad i have that option.
Me too - weird isn't it?
YAY! I am not the only one that feels that way too!
I usually want to start laughing when someone's a little too close to my face. Eye doctors, especially, when they come in with that little light thing.
Look at all of us, holding back, not spontaneously kissing each other. That's a wonderful thing. Keep suppressing.
I'm holding back hugs. If I'm in a really great conversation, particularly if it's at all witty, I have to hold it together while convincing myself that, sometimes, mid-conversation hugs can be slightly uncomfortable.
Then I hear the "stay on target" guy from Star Wars in my head and I lose track of the great conversation...
Is it weird that I've had the same sort of urge, only it's to slap people (even those I love)? When I was a lot younger, if people leaned in too near my face, it as all I could do not to haul off and hit them. As I've gotten older the impulse has weakened, but does this make me some evil bad person? I mean, the kissing thing sounds much better...
Yes!
I love the phrase "brain pantry." With due respect to L., I plan to steal it and use it when appropriate.
Me too, on the eye doctor thing. I wonder if they teach a class in optometry school on the psychology of being superclose to someone's face.
sarah brown, you rock for many reasons, but for coming out as a Kiss Urge Suppressor, you have outdone yourself. from me, and all the other KUS's out there, thank you.
omg i thought i was the only one.
i think about that ALL the time. not to much like i wanna do it to everyone but what it would be like.
so funny.
I'm the same way, but with ass slaps. I have to restrain myself from slapping asses all day. strange.
I'm the same way, but with ass slaps. I have to restrain myself from slapping asses all day. strange.
Or like when you try to swallow your tongue or see how long you can drive with your eyes closed.
I think kissing may be a better alternative, here.
I have the sudden urge all the time to touch strangers. Not in a weird sexual way, but just to reach out and put my hand on the hair or back. I'm convinced it's some sort of chemical reaction.
oh my gosh! I thought I was the only one who thought about this!
You said this so perfect. LOL.
Oh, Sarah Brown, I almost freaked out when I saw this because I had just come home from work and had had that very experience -again- with my boss, no less. I told a friend of mine about it, and she laughed and said "Me too!" So I believe you are right, that we all suppress this. My friend and I talked about it and think it's a leftover instinct to show our fond approval.
MissusB, I accidentally said "Ok, love you bye" to a male friend on the phone one day, because that was the farewell I used with my S.O. at the time, and he sounded startled but said "I love you too" before he hung up. It ended up being the farewell the whole group used for quite a while.
I wanna lick them, just up the side of their face
Yes, kind of a Kiss Urge Tourettes. I know that feeling.
Also, it's not just at the eye doctor's, but I've had to do physical therapy exercises that required that I invade my physical therapist's personal space or he invade mine, and I giggled the *entire* time. Humiliating. No doubt this doesn't happen in other countries, where they can stand THIS close to you without batting an eye.
You know what it is? It's some kind of primate monkey thing, deep down in your brain. Kiss for social bonding. We always forget we are just big monkeys.
This monkey theory can be used to explain almost everything humans do, by the way.
If ever we're talking in close proximity, kiss away. I promise not to scream and slap you.
Wow! This was kind of freaky me out cause I thought it was only me! It was weird thinking that about my best mate - I have no homosexual feelings whatsoever!
A bit worrying though is that sometimes I just want to punch people for no apparent reason!
Just so you know - I never do either :D
Agree, thought I was the only one, etc.
You made my day. :)
Omg me too! Wait actually no, I've never felt that. Freak.
me too!
add me to the list :)
holy crap. i wrote about this same feeling in my livejournal not too long ago. i like all of the thankgoditsnotjustme comments!
Hi Sarah - I love your blog! Josh drew my attention to it.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that not only do I think about kissing people in this way, but I also OFTEN get the urge to hug colleagues. There was a 50 year old guy I worked closely with (but not THAT closely), and several times I nearly gave him a big hug like he was my dad. I can only imagine how hideously embarrassing/inappropriate that would have been.
You make me smile.