How often do you cry? If you cry every day, there has been studies saying that you might have a rare personality trait. Not all emotions are created equal, unfortunately.
A 44-year-old man, Michael Hassard is a former engineer for NASA. He likes to take hikes, camp, and watch football. He also likes to mow his lawn and fix the leaky faucet. Hassard also cries… A lot. He says he “keeps tissues handy at all times”. Crying a lot is not a bad trait, it just simply means that you feel things more intensely than others. People who feel things at such an intense level might be known as an HSP, or a highly sensitive person. Experts say that HSP’s feel both positive and negative emotions more deeply, or passionately.
Being a highly sensitive person can be a positive trait; it might mean that you have more practice with feelings than others. Crying is a sign of resilience and strength. A study published in 1983 by the American Psychological Association showed that most people feel more relieved after crying that was due to stress from interpersonal relationships and anxious or sad thoughts. “Crying it out” can be a great way to channel your emotions and deal with them head on. If you cry a lot, it often means that you know how to relieve stress.
Another benefit of crying is that it helps you become closer to the ones you love. Once you really break down that egotistical wall and show your emotions to others, it can inspire your friends and family to do the same. Since you feel comfortable showing your feelings, they might be too. After all, having a person to blow off some steam to does come in handy.
Have you ever wondered why we cry, though? Crying can indicate many more emotions rather than just happy or sad. ”Crying is a natural emotional response to certain feelings, usually sadness and hurt. But then people also cry under other circumstances and occasions,” says Stephen Sideroff, Ph.D., a staff psychologist at Santa Monica University of California Los Angeles & Orthopaedic Hospital and clinical director of the Moonview Treatment Center in Santa Monica, California.
However crying is a very natural occurrence, if you happen to find yourself crying on a constant cycle, you may need to check in with a mental health care professional. Excessive crying can be an indicator of anxiety and depression. Although, do not feel guilty for crying over the puppy you saw on Facebook earlier. It’s a natural and resilient response!