Monday, Nov 1, 2010Crying Is Good For You

Believe it or not – crying is good for you!

There have been rumors that elephants weep, but tears are unique to mankind. There are many types of tears:  joy, sorrow, embarrassment, and the kind you get when chopping onions. Tears are the result of some distressing thought – perhaps a memory or an experience that clutches at your heart. Whatever triggers emotional crying, the benefits of crying are cathartic – your emotions are drained away, you’ve looked at their cause, and you’re now more relaxed. You’re relieved  because you’ve “had a good cry.” In fact, sometimes a hearty laugh with it’s accompanying tears can create the same sense of relief.

Since 335 BCE when Aristotle gave us his Poetics, we’ve known about the concept of catharsis – how cleansing it is to express our emotions. We place a value on being able to cry because it’s during “a good cry” that therapy happens: we process our emotions and dissolve the fear around our issues. We have diminished our distress and reduced the level of hurt it’s caused us.

But there are some people for whom crying is not okay.  One small girl asked “May I cry, or should I be brave?” Her question came moments before she was taken into surgery for a leg amputation. You can see clearly that someone had influenced her about emotional crying not being okay. And there are some people who wouldn’t admit to sadness if it was completely obvious to those around him.  They consider it embarrassing and a sign of weakness.

I frequently cry when I’m so happy that it’s difficult to contain the intensity of my joy. Patriotic parades and weddings are must-have-Kleenex events!

If you don’t find some outlet for fear, grief, or sadness, it will remain inside you and turn into something very rank and rancid.  Your tears can help you feel less tense, remove poisons from your system, and help your body to heal, so crying helps both your emotional as well as your physical health. Crying is good for you.

An old 1950’s song lyric says “It’s no secret you’ll feel better if you cry.” Crying drains away negative or painful emotion and it frequently leaves the one crying looking physically better for having cried. Endorphins accompany tears caused by emotions and leave us feeling uplifted. Dr. Margaret Crepeau from Marquette University Nursing School states “Laughter and tears are two inherent natural medicines whereby we can reduce duress, let out negative feelings, and recharge. They truly are the body’s own best resources.”

Crying may not bring back the boyfriend you broke up with, or the family member who just passed away, but actually emotional crying can help you to get through depression and heal your body and mind from emotional pains and hurt.

All these wonderful things notwithstanding about crying and the benefits of crying, if you find yourself crying too frequently, it could be a sign that you need help from a professional, so please consider finding help if this applies to you.