[in it]

Do women cry more than men? Answered by Curiosity
 
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Curiosity

Crying is a normal physical reaction to a variety of emotions, and just about everybody cries at some point or another. But do women really cry more than men, as most people think?

Up until puberty, boys and girls cry in equal amounts. When adolescence hits, the rise in testosterone in boys causes the crying to lessen, while rising estrogen levels in girls might bring them to tears more often.

Researchers estimate that once they reach adulthood, women cry approximately four times as much as men -- about 64 times a year for women as opposed to 17 for men [source: TheAge.com].

But that doesn't mean it's because women are moody messes; it may be due to a protein named prolactin. Prolactin, which also controls breast milk production, is present when someone cries emotional tears. The protein gets the endocrine system flowing, making people more prone to crying. Women may possess as much as 60 percent more prolactin in their bodies at any given time compared to men [source: Women's Health].

Another reason for men's stoic nature -- or at least their tendency to shed fewer tears -- may be that men sweat more than women. When men sweat, they may release some of the toxins that are found in emotional tears, lessening their need to cry.

Men also have smaller tear glands than women, so when they do cry, they cry fewer tears than women do. And while men tend to save their tears for major losses or disasters, women are more apt to also cry when they're tired, stressed out or frustrated.

Once middle age rolls around, things may change -- as hormones once again begin to shift, men may cry more and women less [source: Women's Health].

[hobo1]

I am not particularly stoic, as a matter of fact, I think I am more emotionally open than most men, but crying 17 times a years seems excessive to me.  I may have shed a tear a couple of times during this mess in the past three years and am not ashamed to admit it.

[rover77]

I did more than weep lol

[elray]

I too would say 17 times a year is wildly excessive, but not this year.  At some point I felt ashamed of my tears but then I read in psalms of king David referring to his bed as a bed of tears. 

[in it]

I found it interesting what they mentioned about the sweating and releasing toxins.

 I know that's true..but the hormones that are involved in the tears I would think would make it a better release due to what your body goes through.

They say there's little difference (only emotionally) between laughing and crying. Physically it's almost the same thing if you are really weeping or really laughing.

I'm grateful for you guys who admit that you do, did, or don't cry.

[in it]

http://chris.pirillo.com/50-divorce-tips-for-men/

[rover77]

I like the recycling tip ..

[hobo1]

#47, YOU ARE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING HER was a difficult one for me...  I've been protecting and 'taking care' of her for 23 years, doing anything different was just unnatural.

[Braveheart]

In it-  Thank you for this.  I think I am somewhere between Letting Go and Acceptance.  Very true, I have not been making plans and following through, all with the hopes that she would suddenly 'wake up'.  But the more I think about it, even if she woke up, do I want a husband/wife relationship?  She still has the same disorder, the inability to open up, the passive aggressive behaviour, the keeping things inside, the inability to be grateful, to apologize, to think on her own...  these are things that were inherent to her, and I accepted.

To be honest, understanding MLC has prevented me from moving on more quickly.  It is the curse of knowing.

Quite true TB, if we'd just seen it as our spouse screwing around we all would have been divorced as soon as it was possible and at this point counting our blessings when we met somebody more suitable.

[in it]

http://shrink4men.wordpress.com/2009/12/09/emotional-detachment-when-the-no-contact-rule-is-not-an-option/