02/16/2022
Crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Oxytocin is released.
This is why we all feel so good after a big cry. There’s a sense of calm. Peace + relaxation after the release.
Crying is our body’s way of cleansing intense emotions + stabilizing the nervous system. It’s an energetic release that the body naturally does to cope with overwhelm.
If you start to pay attention, you’ll notice that 9 times out of 10 people’s first response to someone crying is “don’t cry.”
We say this to children. To adults. To anyone who’s crying because most of us have been raised in homes without emotional awareness.
We struggle to understand our emotions— or to hold space for other people who experience intense emotions.
We tell people to stop crying because it’s habit + because we are uncomfortable.
Normalizing crying is so important. Allowing people to cry is a true gift. We just have to learn to be comfortable in sitting with someone’s tears.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO DO WHEN SOMEONE STARTS CRYING:
1. Breathe. If you didn’t grow up in a home with emotional awareness, you might automatically say “don’t cry” or “it’s ok.” Pause before you speak it. Just stay conscious + present.
2. As they’re crying, you can ask “is there any way i can support you right now?” They might not answer or may not know. That’s ok, too. They may just want to vent or talk, so listen.
3. If you are in a safe relationship + know this persons likes physical touch, offer that. Silence and the human touch is a healer.
4. Be open: stay conscious to what’s happening within you. Are you uncomfortable or anxious? This will give you a lot of awareness for how your own emotions were dealt with growing up