CRYING IN MENTAL HEALTH

IS CRYING SOMETIMES HEALTHY?

Some of us sometimes cry under some of conditions; unfortunately most of us feel he/she is so shy when they cry and runs away to hide to cry in a comfortable place and also most of us don’t know crying is so useful for health.

Let’s discus this issue.

Why do people cry?

Humans produce three types of tears:

• Basal: The tear ducts constantly secrete basal tears, which are a protein-rich antibacterial liquid that help to keep the eyes moist every time a person blink.
• Reflex: These are tears triggered by irritants such as wind, smoke, or onions.They are released to flush out these irritants and protect the eye.
• Emotional: Humans shed tears in response to a range of emotions. These tears contain a higher level of stress hormones than other types of tears.

When people talk about crying, they are usually referring to emotional tears.

Benefits of crying

People may try to suppress tears if they see them as a sign of weakness, but science suggests that doing so could mean missing out on a range of benefits. Researchers have found that crying:

1. Has a soothing effect

Self-soothing is when people:

• regulate their own emotions
• calm themselves
• reduce their own distress

2. Gets support from others

As well as helping people self-soothe, crying can help people get support from others around them.

3. Helps to relieve pain

Research has found that in addition to being self-soothing, shedding emotional tears releases OXYTOCIN and endorphins.

These chemicals make people feel good and may also ease both physical and emotional pain. In this way, crying can help reduce pain and promote a sense of well-being.

4. Enhances mood

Crying may help lift people’s spirits and make them feel better. As well as relieving pain, oxytocin and endorphins can help improve mood.

5. Releases toxins and relieves stress

When humans cry in response to stress, their tears contains a number of stress hormones and other chemicals.

Researchers believe that crying could reduce the levels of these chemicals in the body,

6. Aids sleep

A small study in 2015 found that crying can help babies sleep better. Whether crying has the same sleep-enhancing effect on adults is yet to be researched.

However, it follows that the calming, mood-enhancing, and pain-relieving effects of crying above may help a person fall asleep more easily.

7. Fights bacteria

Crying helps to kill bacteria and keep the eyes clean as tears contain a fluid called lysozyme.

8. Improves vision

Basal tears, which are released every time a person blinks, help to keep the eyes moist and prevent mucous membranes from drying out.

When to see a doctor

Crying has a number of health benefits, but frequent crying may be a sign of depression.

Crying in response to emotions such as sadness, joy, or frustration is normal and has a number of health benefits.

However, sometimes frequent crying can be a sign of depression. People may be depressed if their crying:

• happens very frequently
• happens for no apparent reason
• starts to affect daily activities
• becomes uncontrollable

Other signs of depression include:

• having trouble concentrating, remembering things, or making decisions
• feeling fatigued or without energy
• feeling guilty, worthless, or helpless
• feeling pessimistic or hopeless
• having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• feeling irritable or restless
• not enjoying things that were once pleasurable
• overeating or undereating
• unexplained aches, pains, or cramps
• digestive problems that do not improve with treatment
• persistent anxiety
• Suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm

If a person is experiencing symptoms of depression, or someone they know is, then they should talk to a doctor.