Tears

Some people get teary at the drop of a hat, but others remain dry eyed even in the face of the greatest adversity. Well being a bit of a crier myself I really don’t understand how people, particularly men, get away with not crying because to me it’s such an amazing emotional outlet and it seems to be one that I take full advantage of. So I don’t quite understand how men in particular process those feelings without having a good old cry.

It’s believed that humans are the only animals that shed emotional tears. Darwin had this idea that emotional expression can result from an overflow of nervous energy and so we may feel better after a good cathartic cry just because we’ve worn ourselves out.

Some suggest that crying could be an inborn healing mechanism, or a way of removing toxins that build up with stress. Others see crying as a so-called epiphenomenon. I vouch for that it is definitely a catharsis. I don’t feel better in that the feelings that led me to cry have gone, I think it allows you to move on in some sense during the day that you have a cry and then somehow you have a better ability to move on to the next thing that you have to do to pull yourself together a bit.

What you do while you’re crying is important. When you go through a period of depression you shouldn’t cry and be hateful towards self and saying to yourself how dumb and stupid you are and don’t feel ridiculous for being this way and be angry with yourself, instead change tacks and acknowledge your tears and your sadness and see them as a valid reaction to things that are going on in your life and not to be upset by the fact that you’re crying. This becomes more productive.

So all you guys out there, it is alright to use the hydraulic method to sometimes let out your feelings. If the cry of the infant is necessary for survival it might well be so for all.