We have many reasons to suppress the urge to cry, from distracting a bully in elementary school to trying to appear professional in an important meeting. You may have preconceived notions about how crying can make you look weak, or that it’s an undesirable vibe to give off in tense situations. However, good things can come from crying when you do it in the safety of an emotionally supportive environment. Not only does it let the people around you know that you need their help, it also releases endorphins and stress that can help you feel better.
How to Cry at the Right Time: A Professional Acting Coach Will Make You Cry in 90 Seconds, Guaranteed
Why we cry in response to intense emotion or physical pain is a subject of ongoing study. According to consensus, crying serves as a social signal to gain comfort and support from others. But from an evolutionary perspective, it’s very difficult to study, researchers say, because humans are the only animals that cry. Other animals cry and vocalize, but humans are the only animals that perform the coordinated action of producing tears, vocalizing, facial contractions, slumping, and shivering that we call crying.
In general, people produce three types of tears:
Basal: Continuously produced for overall eye health.
