Do you remember the last time you cried your eyes out? Was this a month or a week ago or was it so long ago that you do not even remember? Do not worry if crying is “your thing” because it is completely okay to shed a few tears and feel vulnerable and this is not something that you should apologize for, as we often tend to.
Believe it or not, crying is healthy and an indicator of resilience and strength. Crying is never something that you should feel ashamed of! Let us learn important aspects of crying and why it should make you feel powerful, not pathetic!
Why Is Crying Good for You?
- You are not scared of your feelings
As human beings, we cry because of different reasons, including loneliness, loss, anger, hormonal imbalance, stress, and low blood sugar. Sometimes, the reason for our weeping could be something as trivial as a nostalgic song or a sad movie and there are instances when we just begin to cry out of nowhere, without any particular reason. Regardless of why you are crying, your tears are a sign that you are accepting your feelings and confronting them. Not being able to face negative feelings may trigger unhealthy behavior like drug and alcohol abuse and lead to health problems like depression and anxiety. Crying is a way for you to allow yourself to remove all self-doubt so that you preserve your mental health through showing control and courage.
- Shows the real you
When we cry, we let down our emotional guard and this sends out a message that we are strong, honest, and open when faced with negativity. When you cry freely in front of others, you are doing the first step into showing others that they should also feel comfortable to express how they feel. This will strengthen your relationship and help you break down these walls that are dividing us one from another and help you create more meaningful friendships and relationships.
- You know how to reduce stress
According to a study, most of the participants felt relief after crying due to stress or anxious thoughts. Crying is indeed a method to remove and filter worrisome thoughts and events. Holding in these emotions by holding back tears can significantly damage our psychological well-being. After crying, people tend to feel more comfortable and recharged and stronger. What’s more, tears have hormones which go away during the process of crying and this betters our mood afterwards.
- It shows you do not care what others will think
From early on, society teaches us to shy away from expressing negative emotions in front of other people. However, through the act of crying, nature shows us that we are intelligent and sensitive beings who cannot always have their emotional guard up. Nonetheless, a study from 1964 showed that people were more compassionate and less negative towards people who were crying. Even though the study concluded that crying made mostly people feel uncomfortable, when we cry in front of others, it shows that we place our feelings above social expectations, which is something a lot of people would like to achieve.
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