Why Do We Cry?

There are two kinds of people in this world. First, those who cry even when they see their friends getting married. The other kind consists of those who do not even cry for their dying pet. If you are one of the criers, you would know how hard it is to watch movies with your friends or get shouted at. It starts with the lump in your throat, then big drops of tears appear to embarrass you in front of everyone. If you belong to the second group, you may have forgotten the last time you had cried but you surely have had cried more than once in your life. 

Our body makes three kinds of tears. Your Basal tears keep your cornea lubricated. Reflex tears are those which wash out particles and vapor which cause irritation to your eyes. Psychic tears are the ‘crying tears’. These are the ones responsible for embarrassing you in front of other people. The part of the brain which controls our emotions is the hypothalamus or the limbic system. When you are stressed, sad, angry or happy, this part of your brain activates your lacrimal gland with the help of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Then, the tears flow. Crying helps our body release all the pent up emotions. It also has a biochemical purpose. Crying releases stress hormones from our body.

People cry to feel good. The tears contain a natural painkiller named ‘leucine enkephalin’ which is responsible for that. Some people cry to gain attention from others. People sometimes force tears to get out of a situation. These are known as Crocodile Tears.

It’s not that hard to fake tears but it is extremely hard to control them. People are not comfortable with others crying in front of them. Crying is said to be a sign of weakness. But then, sometimes, we just cannot stop the tears from falling. That makes us run away or hide our faces. What people do not understand is that crying is normal and necessary. People who do not cry are actually harming themselves. It is good to let our guards down at times and just let the emotions take over. 

Crying is a way of communication for children who have yet not learned to speak. They cry when they are angry, irritated, in pain or need attention. Women and children cry more than men as it is socially acceptable for them to cry. Boys are taught that they need to be strong and shouldn’t cry. That’s a flawed concept and needs to be changed.