Perhaps the world’s most universal language has nothing to do with linguistics, for crying out loud! Used to convey elation, devastation, and moving emotion, the non-verbal yet powerful effects of crying have entrapped every last psychologist’s inquisition in a chokehold. When was the last time you teared up over a particularly touching movie? And what sort of explanations does Psychology have to offer for this personal phenomenon everyone experiences?
Why do we cry?
From an evolutionary standpoint, emotional tears are viewed as a gateway to empathy. Research reveals that people who receive social support upon shedding tears report feeling better than those who restrain their waterworks or are without support. A comprehensive research study of 7,007 participants discovered that those exposed to faces with and without tears were far more likely to support those with tearful faces. Thus, the researchers hypothesized that crying could strengthen social bonding for some; those who appeared tearful were perceived as warm. Those who observe people crying also often feel connected to those crying, which could bolster social connection.
Emotional tears also set themselves apart from other tears in the sense that they contain additional proteins and hormones, as well as natural painkillers - prolactin, potassium, manganese, and other stress hormones, to name some! Hence, our tears can sometimes relay chemical messages (either intended or unintended) to someone close by. This furthers the psychological theory that tears communicate our release of stress to help alleviate our body’s anxiety. According to Dr. Roizen, a licensed psychologist, “crying for emotional reasons can make you feel better, release tension, give you a psychic reboot, [...] communicate distress, sincerity, attraction, and aversion – depending on the context.”
What is the role of crying in emotional release?
Physicians of ancient Greece postulated that tears served as some form of purgative that was responsible for purifying us. Today’s psychological school of thought, in the main, echoes this notion. Endorphins are released following a good cry. These are feel-good neurotransmitters; as natural hormones, they can alleviate pain, lower stress, improve one’s mood, and enhance one’s sense of well-being. Crying also decreases cortisol levels in the body, which aids the self-soothing mechanism. Holding in your tears may result in unhealthy methods of emotional release. Crying releases endorphins such as oxytocin; you may generally experience a lower mood if you restrict yourself from crying. Studies show that suppressing emotions could put your mental health at risk by leading to increased stress levels, anxiety, and even depression. This is because repressive coping - keeping complicated feelings within yourself is detrimental to our health.
How does emotional release nurture our well-being?
Our brains process and assign an emotion to virtually every experience we have. However, psychologists conclude that the best way of expressing our emotions is to ensure our strategy is productive. It is vital we feel the feelings and healthily release them. Expressing our emotions also induces an abundance of benefits:
Allows us to assess dilemmas from a fresh perspective
Eases the friction of decision-making and problem-solving
Eliminates the power of the feeling itself
Lowers anxiety
Eases depression
Interested? Watch THIS to learn more!
Reference List
Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Why Do We Cry? The Truth Behind Your Tears. [online] Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tears-why-we-cry-and-more-infographic.
Levine, H. (n.d.). What Are Tears Made Of and Why Do We Cry?. [online] AARP. Available at: https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2022/tears.html#:~:text=Why%20do%20we%20cry%20emotional.
Newhouse, L. (2021). Is crying good for you? [online] Harvard Health Blog. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-crying-good-for-you-2021030122020.
Supasitthumrong, T. (2023). Endorphins - the ‘feel good’ chemicals for well-being. [online] MedPark Hospital. Available at: https://www.medparkhospital.com/en-US/lifestyles/endorphins#:~:text=pain%2Drelieving%20drug.-.
The University of Kansas Health System (2020). Why is Emotional Expression Important? [online] Kansashealthsystem.com. Available at: https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/health-resources/turning-point/programs/resilience-toolbox/emotional-expression/why-is-emotional-expression-important.
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