Midlife Crisis: Support for Left Behind Spouses
Archives => Archived Topics => Topic started by: in it on January 13, 2014, 05:30:11 PM
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Counting the tears:
88.8 per cent of people feel better after crying, with 8.4 per cent feeling worse.
On average women cry 47 times a year and men a mere seven.
Until puberty, crying levels are much the same for each gender – testosterone may reduce crying in boys while estrogen and prolactin increases the tendency in girls.
Men may excrete more of the toxins related to emotional stress in their sweat because they have higher sweat levels than women.
The mantra to children 'Be brave, don't cry' might not be the most helpful because some believe crying can actually help reduce pain.
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http://www.drjudithorloff.com/Free-Articles/The-Health-Benefits-of-Tears_copy.htm
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Emotional tears have special health benefits.
Biochemist and “tear expert” Dr. William Frey at the Ramsey Medical Center in Minneapolis discovered that reflex tears are 98% water, whereas emotional tears also contain stress hormones which get excreted from the body through crying.
After studying the composition of tears, Dr. Frey found that emotional tears shed these hormones and other toxins which accumulate during stress.
Additional studies also suggest that crying stimulates the production of endorphins, our body’s natural pain killer and “feel-good” hormones.”
Interestingly, humans are the only creatures known to shed emotional tears, though it’s possible that that elephants and gorillas do too.
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7 Good Reasons To Cry Your Eyes Out
By THERESE J. BORCHARD
Associate Editor
New York Times reporter Benedict Carey referred to tears in a recent piece as “emotional perspiration.” Given that I sweat a lot and hate deodorant, I suppose it makes sense that I weep often. But I’m not going to apologize for that, because after a good cry, I always feel cleansed, like my heart and mind just rubbed each other’s backs in a warm bath.
In his intriguing article, “The Miracle of Tears” , from which I’ve lifted some of the research for this post, author Jerry Bergman writes: “Tears are just one of many miracles which work so well that we taken them for granted every day.”
Here, then, are seven ways tears and the phenomenon we call “crying” heal us physiologically, psychologically, and spiritually.
1. Tears help us see.
Starting with the most basic function of tears, they enable us to see. Literally. Tears not only lubricate our eyeballs and eyelids, they also prevent dehydration of our various mucous membranes. No lubrication, no eyesight.
Writes Bergman: “Without tears, life would be drastically different for humans–in the short run enormously uncomfortable, and in the long run eyesight would be blocked out altogether.”
2. Tears kill bacteria.
No need for Clorox wipes. We’ve got tears! Our own antibacterial and antiviral agent working for us, fighting off all the germs we pick up on community computers, shopping carts, public sinks, and all those places the nasty little guys make their homes and procreate.
Tears contain lysozyme, a fluid that the germaphobic dreams about in her sleep, because it can kill 90 to 95 percent of all bacteria in just five to 10 minutes! Which translates, I’m guessing, to three months’ worth of colds and stomach viruses.
3. Tears remove toxins.
Biochemist William Frey, who has been researching tears for as long as I’ve been searching for sanity, found in one study that emotional tears–those formed in distress or grief–contained more toxic byproducts than tears of irritation (think onion peeling).
Are tears toxic then? No! They actually remove toxins from our body that build up courtesy of stress. They are like a natural therapy or massage session, but they cost a lot less!
4. Crying can elevate mood.
Do you know what your manganese level is? No, neither do I. But chances are that you will feel better if it’s lower because overexposure to manganese can cause bad stuff: anxiety, nervousness, irritability, fatigue, aggression, emotional disturbance and the rest of the feelings that live inside my happy head rent-free.
The act of crying can lower a person’s manganese level. And just like with the toxins I mentioned in my last point, emotional tears contain 24 percent higher albumin protein concentration–responsible for transporting many small molecules (which has to be a good thing, right?)–than irritation tears.
5. Crying lowers stress.
Tears really are like perspiration in that exercising and crying both relieve stress. For real.
In his article, Bergman explains that tears remove some of the chemicals built up in the body from stress, like the endorphin leucine-enkaphalin and prolactin, the hormone I overproduce because of my pituitary tumor that affects my mood and stress tolerance. The opposite is true too.
Bergman writes, “Suppressing tears increases stress levels, and contributes to diseases aggravated by stress, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, and peptic ulcers.”
6. Tears build community.
In her “Science Digest” article, writer Ashley Montagu argued that crying not only contributes to good health, but it also builds community.
I know what you’re thinking: “Well, yeah, but not the right kind of community. I mean, I might ask the woman bawling her eyes out behind me in church what’s wrong or if I can help her, but I’m certainly not going to invite her to dinner.” I beg to differ.
As a prolific crier, especially on video, I always come away astounded by the comments … the resounding support of people I don’t know all that well, and the level of intimacy exchanged among them. Tears help communication and foster community.
7. Tears release feelings.
Even if you haven’t just been through something traumatic or are severely depressed, the average Joe goes through his day accumulating conflicts and resentments.
Sometimes they gather inside the limbic system of the brain and in certain corners of the heart. Crying is cathartic. It lets the devils out before they wreak all kind of havoc with the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Writes John Bradshaw in his bestseller “Home Coming”: “All these feelings need to be felt. We need to stomp and storm; to sob and cry; to perspire and tremble.” Amen, Brother Bradford!
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Sometimes we really need a cry to balance ourselves out :)
I know when my emotions build up I need a cry to release them.
Thanks in it!
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This made me smile... well, if crying brings health benefits, then I must be wonderfully robust! Perhaps that is why I haven't been ill for years.... ;)
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I remember when I was little I enjoyed a good cry.
Then when I got to be a teenager my mother would say " Don't cry! It will ruin your make-up!" ::)
When it came to the ex? Two weeks after my father died he wanted me to stop crying... ??? So I did.That was 1990.
I had no idea of all the other emotions it would shut down also.
I'm back to crying, laughing, being angry, and singing. And I accept all of it as part of me.
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Sounds refreshing but I can't seem to muster up more than a few seconds.
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Bump!
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bump
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http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/the-health-benefits-of-crying.htm
CRY!!!!
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Well....I hadn't cried in a while....but I sure did past couple days! Not for me....For her. The stuff I just posted about shows me just the kind of bad place and turmoil she is in. I can't believe just how confused and twisted it gets. Can't imagine being like that; being someone who was so together with it and such standards all her life.
The shear stress, health issues and apparent aging that is taking its toll is almost unbearable to watch.
Afraid she is about to have a break down!
OneByOne
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I understand your compassion and it is admirable..they truly are lost to themselves for whatever reason.
You must cry for your own loss and continue to grieve.
Little bits to be examined and try to understand there is life after this.
But cry..it helps..... and sleep you will get stronger and able to face what may have to be faced....
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Crying is the most inexpensive, natural and powerful mechanism for coping with pain, stress and sorrow. By stifling crying, legitimate emotions are not released and unproductive personality traits like rudeness, and potentially harmful acts such as school shootings can result. We should encourage healthy crying. After all, weeping is probably a necessary contributing factor to human survival.
From this website refers to men and women
http://archives.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=53397
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I am pretty new to my W's mlc, just a few weeks old. this past Saturday was pretty hard for me. I had a break down and I just cried while walking out of the movies imagining I am with an old her holding my arms. We used to go to the movies a lot and she would hold my arms when its cold.
So I cried and cried and this resulted of me scratching my eyes that then resulted to an Eyelid Cyst. I still have it right now and it hurts and its bulging my eyes.
It just reminds me to not cry too much now! lol
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OUCH! Did you see a Dr due to it??
tm2183 Besides this cyst- how did you feel after you cried? Better, worse?
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http://www.jeffreyplatts.com/2013/08/mencry/
5 reasons why men should cry more
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OUCH! Did you see a Dr due to it??
tm2183 Besides this cyst- how did you feel after you cried? Better, worse?
I feel i got better and a sigh of relief. I actually felt it made me a wee bit stronger each time I grieve and cry.
Nah, I didnt see a Dr. My eyes are getting a bit better now. :)
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GOOD that's what it should do make you stronger!!! :)
CRY-SLEEP- EAT- BREATHE!!
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Thanks for re-posting this. I had no idea. but My H has been telling me he's been fighting it off. and I thought to myself....
Geeze, I don't wanna wind up like him! lol
I think I'm done crying for today. I honestly feel SO much better.
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Exactly don't fight off what you FEEL. And no you definitely do not want to end up like him...
I'm glad it helps you feel better ! Me too! :)