In our culture, outward expressions of sadness, such as slumping and crying, are usually perceived as signs of insecurity and weakness. It is unfair that many of us associate crying with weakness. Because crying is actually a sign of strength.
In fact, did you know that besides being a sign of strength, crying is beneficial to your overall well-being? Crying is a natural and healthy response to sadness and frustration. It’s an effective way to lower emotional stress, which if left unchecked, can have negative effects on your physical health.
So, the next time you begin crying in front of someone and worrying that they might think you’re weak and too insecure, make sure you get rid of those thoughts. Because crying doesn’t mean you’re weak – it actually means that you’re mentally healthy and strong.
Here’s why:
1. Crying enables you to lower your stress levels and release pent-up emotions.
Suppressing emotions when you’re hurting either leads to an emotional breakdown or a bitter argument with someone so as to take out all the accumulated anger on someone.
On the other hand, crying releases pent-up emotions, stress, and anxiety by stimulating the release of endorphin, the “feel-good” hormones that act as a natural stress and pain fighter.
So, when you’re going through rough times, crying enables you to release your bad emotions, which in turn allows you to think more clearly about the problem or pain you might be dealing with and not be so overwhelmed by it.
2. You face your emotions head-on.
It is easy to ignore or suppress your strong emotions. To face them directly is what’s difficult. So, if you happen to be someone who often cries, never let anyone make you think that you’re weak. Because crying means you aren’t afraid to confront your negative emotions. It means that you let them run their course freely and that you let yourself feel them the way they are as well.
3. You face life’s challenges directly too.
Crying doesn’t mean you are incapable of coping with life’s challenges and difficulties. Instead, crying shows that you’re strong and determined enough to overcome any problem or pain life may send your way because you don’t try to run away from it.
4. Crying shows you don’t care about what other people think of you.
There’s a lot of stigma attached to crying. For example, if she cries, that’s because she’s insecure, unstable, or weak, or because she needs other people’s attention. And if he cries, that’s because he’s a coward or because he isn’t manly enough. Such generalizations encourage both women and men to suppress their negative emotions.
But, if you’re someone who often cries and who has no problem crying in public, then this shows that you don’t care about what others think of you. It shows that maintaining your emotional and mental health is more important to you than other people’s opinions of you.
5. Crying shows that you’re not afraid to let your emotions be exposed in front of other people.
It takes a bold and mentally strong person to let their negative emotions be exposed in front of others at the risk of being judged, misunderstood, or mocked. Most of us are scared to take this risk. But, the criers never think twice about taking it.
6. Crying restores emotional equilibrium.
You don’t only cry when you’re sad. Sometimes you may cry when you’re very happy, thrilled, stressed out, or scared. Crying in this way may help your body restore emotional balance.
When you are extremely scared or happy about something and cry, this may be your body’s way of recovering from experiencing such an intense emotion.