Having a big cry can actually be good for you
Sometimes it just feels good to have a good cry. Reminiscing about past love, watching a romantic film, or listening to a sad song – all of these can bring on the waterworks.
Science suggests that crying can be therapeutic for us, as it is an outlet for emotion that helps express how we feel to others. For some people it may not be until you are crying that your significant other realises that there is even something wrong.
Women tend to cry more often than men do, with some research from the 1980s giving the ballpark figures of women crying five times per month, compared to a man’s one-off cry in the same time period. More recent research supports this theory too. This suggests that women produce more of the hormone prolactin, which can encourage them to cry more often; whereas men have more testosterone, which can actually make it harder to cry.
It’s all well and good to say “boys don’t cry” but eventually the strong emotions need to come out. This is when we need to ensure that we have a good support system in place to help us feel better and more able to cry if we need to.
But it depends on the situation. People can feel better after crying if this signals to someone that they need help. But crying in what society would consider an inappropriate moment can lead to the person feeling ashamed or even more emotional. Either way, having the right people in your corner is the most important way to deal with emotion.
Do you feel better after a good cry? How do you get the tears flowing? We would love to hear your ideas in the comments.
Related links:
How to build self-discipline in 10 days
7 “bad” habits that are actually good for you