Don’t Hold Back! 7 Reasons Crying Is GOOD For You! – PsychCentral, Your Tango

Sometimes a good cry is just what you need. 

Yes, crying is good for you. But as good as it is for us to shed tears, we still fight them sometimes, despite research published this month showing people feel better after a good cry, not worse. Here’s an article I wrote for Your Tango, that was later syndicated to PsychCentral, about why crying can be so therapeutic.

Not only is it a powerful emotional and physical release, but tears can help highlight the things we really care about. Like a metaphorical highlighter pen, tears underscore the thoughts and experiences that most upset us that can help you understand more about what is happening when you get upset. Perhaps most encouraging is the recent research confirming what most of us already know – having a good cry can help you feel better in the end.

Click here to read the full article on Psych Central

Click here to read the full article on YourTango

“Unhappiness can’t stick in a person’s soul when it’s slick with tears.”  ― Shannon Hale, Princess Academy

There’s a good chance that no matter how horrible you’re feeling, you probably don’t often succumb to that lump in your throat. Instead you find yourself hoping the moment — and those uncomfortable feelings — just pass on their own. (Just focus on “positive thoughts” and happiness, right?)

Maybe tears are inappropriate for the situation. Maybe you feel self-conscious being openly vulnerable. Or worse, maybe you’re not sure you really have time for a good cry. You possibly even worry that crying might leave you feeling worse!

Turns out, stifling tears is NOT a healthy strategy.  Holding back tears actually hurts your mood rather than helping it.

Or so researchers from Croatia tell us based on their recent study. What they found is quite surprising! — First, that crying protects people from feelings of depression. But, also that 90 minutes after participants watched an emotional movie, they actually felt even better than they did before watching the film.

These new findings add to a great deal of other research that validate the healthful benefits of crying, despite our collective discomfort with it.

Letting your tears flow is one of the healthiest things you can do — and here’s a break down of WHY…

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