Is crying healthy? Healthy coping

[Preety_India]

I am observing that in the past few days I have been crying a little more than what can be considered okay. 

Sometimes crying helps me to feel relax all the past trauma associated with family and past abusive relationships with men. 

But I notice that it also makes me dull and depressed and generally melancholic afterwards. 

I feel like releasing all the pain built up inside and crying helps with it. 

But I don't want to feel like a zombie afterwards. I fear I might sink into deep depression if this trend continues. 

How can I find a balance here? I want to let out without feeling very heavy or traumatized? 

Any tips are helpful. Please no judgemental answers.. 

I won't respond to any comments that appear judgemental. I had enough of those victim-blaming  comments. 

 

[No Self]

It is definitely healthy and cathartic.

The question then becomes whether there is a mental pattern that is acting as a pain factory, creating more content to fuel a cycle.

A therapeutic approach may be a necessary intermediate step if it is too much to go straight to the spiritual level whereby our tragic stories would be considered fictional.

[Nahm]

2 hours ago, Preety_India said:

Sometimes crying helps me to feel relax

Yep, perfect, that’s all there is to it, let thinking go. 

Quote

all the past trauma associated with family and past abusive relationships with men. 

Ah crap, you didn’t let thinking go, you believed the thought narrative about the feeling. Ya bamboozled yourself. 

Quote

But I notice that it also makes me dull and depressed and generally melancholic afterwards. 

And that is how that feels when you do that. 

Two things that can be tough to hear:

Daily morning meditation will change your entire life for the better, with no end to the feeling better and better. 

If there is judgement, it’s you doing it. Just like fear. 

[Preety_India]

 

2 hours ago, No Self said:

It is definitely healthy and cathartic.

 

Yep. Thank you 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Nahm said:

 

Two things that can be tough to hear:

Daily morning meditation will change your entire life for the better, with no end to the feeling better and better. 

If there is judgement, it’s you doing it. 

Thank you for this. 

 

[Nahm]

@Preety_India

?

You’re ‘grabbing this by the reigns’ and I’m very happy for you. ? You’re quite a beautiful creator, you know?

[Preety_India]

@Nahm you too. Hugs 

 

[Nahm]

Benefits of crying

People may try to suppress tears if they see them as a sign of weakness, but science suggests that doing so could mean missing out on a range of benefits. Researchers have found that crying:

1. Has a soothing effect

Self-soothing is when people:

regulate their own emotions

calm themselves

reduce their own distress

A 2014 study found that crying may have a direct, self-soothing effect on people. The study explained how crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which helps people relax.

2. Gets support from others

As well as helping people self-soothe, crying can help people get support from others around them.

As this 2016 study explains, crying is primarily an attachment behavior, as it rallies support from the people around us. This is known as an interpersonal or social benefit.

3. Helps to relieve pain

Research has found that in addition to being self-soothing, shedding emotional tears releases oxytocin and endorphins.

These chemicals make people feel good and may also ease both physical and emotional pain. In this way, crying can help reduce pain and promote a sense of well-being.

4. Enhances mood

Crying may help lift people’s spirits and make them feel better. As well as relieving pain, oxytocin and endorphins can help improve mood. This is why they are often known as “feel good” chemicals.

5. Releases toxins and relieves stress

When humans cry in response to stress, their tears contain a number of stress hormones and other chemicals.

Researchers believe that crying could reduce the levels of these chemicals in the body, which could, in turn, reduce stress. More research is needed into this area, however, to confirm this.

6. Aids sleep

A small study in 2015 found that crying can help babies sleep better. Whether crying has the same sleep-enhancing effect on adults is yet to be researched.

However, it follows that the calming, mood-enhancing, and pain-relieving effects of crying above may help a person fall asleep more easily.

7. Fights bacteria

Crying helps to kill bacteria and keep the eyes clean as tears contain a fluid called lysozyme.

A 2011 study found that lysozyme had such powerful antimicrobial properties that it could even help to reduce risks presented by bioterror agents, such as anthrax.

8. Improves vision

Basal tears, which are released every time a person blinks, help to keep the eyes moist and prevent mucous membranes from drying out.

 

[Preety_India]

@Nahm awesome 

 

 

[Parththakkar12]

@Preety_India I think the better idea would be to let the body do what it needs to do. I can guarantee you that you will not become depressed because of it, it will release the trauma. Shaking is another way of releasing trauma.

[kag101]

Indeed, crying can be comforting, or it can be literally painful. 

Excessive crying is actually a common sign of depression.

I had a depressive episode a few months ago, and as soon as it kicked in, I started to feel a lot of self-pity, hopelessness, and I really felt like crying. It was awful. I’m glad my psychiatrist and I figured out what triggered it.

[susanyzm]

Crying is very healthy, especially when you give yourself space to cry alone. It's a very responsible way to handle your emotions.

I would suggest adding a comforting part to the end of the crying session. Your inner child wants venting and also your attention.

You can do it yourself, listen to a self-love meditation, or find a soothing prayer you like. Take a hot bath. Hug a fuzzy toy. Write down your emotions. You can try it out and find your favorite ritual.

Life is you playing hide-and-seek with yourself. There's a crying you. There's a comforting you. The comforting you call out to the crying you: "Jump, and I'll catch you." With practice, you will feel more and more grounded with yourself. 

Best wishes on the healing journey!

[Preety_India]

@kag101  @Parththakkar12  @susanyzm

Thank you for your suggestions. 

 

[Tim R]

20 hours ago, Nahm said:

Benefits of crying

People may try to suppress tears if they see them as a sign of weakness, but science suggests that doing so could mean missing out on a range of benefits. Researchers have found that crying:

1. Has a soothing effect

Self-soothing is when people:

regulate their own emotions

calm themselves

reduce their own distress

A 2014 study found that crying may have a direct, self-soothing effect on people. The study explained how crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which helps people relax.

2. Gets support from others

As well as helping people self-soothe, crying can help people get support from others around them.

As this 2016 study explains, crying is primarily an attachment behavior, as it rallies support from the people around us. This is known as an interpersonal or social benefit.

3. Helps to relieve pain

Research has found that in addition to being self-soothing, shedding emotional tears releases oxytocin and endorphins.

These chemicals make people feel good and may also ease both physical and emotional pain. In this way, crying can help reduce pain and promote a sense of well-being.

4. Enhances mood

Crying may help lift people’s spirits and make them feel better. As well as relieving pain, oxytocin and endorphins can help improve mood. This is why they are often known as “feel good” chemicals.

5. Releases toxins and relieves stress

When humans cry in response to stress, their tears contain a number of stress hormones and other chemicals.

Researchers believe that crying could reduce the levels of these chemicals in the body, which could, in turn, reduce stress. More research is needed into this area, however, to confirm this.

6. Aids sleep

A small study in 2015 found that crying can help babies sleep better. Whether crying has the same sleep-enhancing effect on adults is yet to be researched.

However, it follows that the calming, mood-enhancing, and pain-relieving effects of crying above may help a person fall asleep more easily.

7. Fights bacteria

Crying helps to kill bacteria and keep the eyes clean as tears contain a fluid called lysozyme.

A 2011 study found that lysozyme had such powerful antimicrobial properties that it could even help to reduce risks presented by bioterror agents, such as anthrax.

8. Improves vision

Basal tears, which are released every time a person blinks, help to keep the eyes moist and prevent mucous membranes from drying out.

 

@Nahm Wow, I didn't know that, thank you for sharing so much information. Where did you find it? Compressed on a website or did you do your own research?

[Nahm]

@Tim R          

Thanks, I forgot to put the link... https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319631

[mandyjw]

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWN2FPlvg9r-LnUyepH9IaQ@Preety_India This is my favorite yoga channel, often makes me cry in a good way for no reason. 

[Toby]

Well, there is a fine line between
- re-experiencing - which is just an endless cycle of the same emotions at best and also can be re-traumatizing (more "hyper" sympathetic symptoms of dissociation)
- a crying where emotions integrate / release
- feeling of numbness / depression (more "hypo" parasympathetic symptoms)

For example in trauma (theory) usually there is one part that is more "numb" / depressed... and another part that is flooded with a lot of overwhelming emotions / flashback images. These things have to be integrated gradually; otherwise it is not helpful.

The "theory" say, that if you are not within the window of tolerance (either too much or too little) you are not integrating the stuff.

Edited September 29, 2020 by Toby

[Preety_India]

 

@Nahm  @mandyjw  @Toby

Thank you for your kindness. 

 

[Roy]

Crying is great, just make sure it's emotionally productive. I don't mean in a mechanical way, I just can't think of a better word.

Let it come up authentically and surrender yourself to the process as it flows through you. Really "feel" it. Then let it go.

If it keeps coming up over and over again, about the same subject or thing that is making you sad, then it's a sign you aren't truly letting it move through you. You're holding on and attached to some particular thought or feeling because you refuse to accept some truth for one reason or another, it's too painful.

Crying is a way for your body, mind, and spirit to expel and heal. You can't be crying forever about the same thing, that means you aren't letting it do it's job.

Also a tip for you that I find helpful for myself; Shortly after crying don't dwell on it and sit in the emotions too long, do something fun to cheer yourself up and look forward to! Think of the crying experience as water that passes through you and gets dirty from teaching you lessons and washing out the bad stuff at the same time, what's left over after the process is gross contaminated water, does it make sense to sit in that? No lol!

Empty that bowl by doing something positive. If it comes up again that's ok, but you need to try and let it go and empty that bowl each time anyways. Not out of fear but out of acceptance.

 

[Preety_India]

@Roy

I feel like crying is a call of help from my own body. 

 

[ravlondon]

It's healthy and human but I personally realised that it makes me feel down for a few days or weeks after, may not help with productivity and strength though.