Were you ever told as a kid to stop crying?

Maybe you've heard someone say to a child, “Stop that crying! It doesn't do you any good” or “Stop crying, or I'll give you something to cry about!”

If a child is crying, it's a clue he's already got something to cry about. Depending on the era you grew up in, your parents might have handled your crying in different ways. Weeping, however, is not necessarily negative. In fact, many experts believe crying has some usefulness to our lives.

There are three types of tears, basal tears, reflex tears, and emotional tears. Today, we are going to discuss the emotional aspect of tears. Every person on earth has shed this type of tear at some time in his life. Crying is an experience that every healthy human being has shared.

 

Why People Cry

Crying is a healthy expression of emotions. For children, experiencing feelings, they don't understand can be confusing and frustrating. Crying is a way to release emotions that they are otherwise unable to express.

As an adult, we also express emotions through crying… or at least when we allow ourselves to shed a tear. Some people cry when they're melancholy. Others cry when they're frustrated or angry or even afraid. Whatever the reason, emotionally healthy people FEEL THE NEED TO CRY occasionally.

Do You Allow Yourself to Cry?

Have you ever felt like you want to cry but instead, you held in your tears? Some people feel uncomfortable with expressing their emotions so vulnerably. When people repress emotions with regularity, those feelings can manifest in the body, making you physically ill. When your feelings and physical body send signals that it's time to cry, it's best to listen up.

Contrary to what many people think, crying tends to run its course in just a few short minutes. When the initial troubling feelings are expressed, and tears are released, stress hormones leave the body, thus alleviating the need to cry. Additionally, the act of crying has a calming effect on the body and mind as oxytocin and endorphins are produced. Breathing eventually slows down, and the emotion s expelled.

Crying and the Grief Process

It's natural to experience sad and lonely feelings related to a loss of someone or something important. When grieving, you might cry periodically over a few days, weeks, or months. Between crying episodes, you might feel a little better, but the grief eventually returns in waves. These waves of grief are normal and even healing. Sometimes a good cry is just what you need! As you work through the grief, however, you'll feel less and less like crying over time, but don't be surprised if the emotions pop up from time to time. That's okay and healthy.

Recent research reported on the Science Daily website indicates that two-thirds of people studied reported feeling a boost in their moods after crying.

Consider crying a normal and healthy part of life that will occasionally happen. Let go of your fears. Go ahead and let yourself cry if you feel like it – you'll feel calmer afterward and be ready to confront your day with renewed energy and motivation!

What about you? Do you cry sometimes? Often? Do you feel better after you cry?

 

Share your thoughts in the comments!