I had the privilege of meeting a bright and interesting young woman in my office. She wanted to work on what seemed to be a pretty easy issue. Things are never quite what they seem though, are they? In a matter of moments things got emotional and tears began to flow. Last week, when working with a weight client, she too ran high on emotion and the tears flowed. Tears don’t bother me, it is when the person begins to apologize for them that I am concerned. After all, I have tissues available.
Have we been so trained to “behave well”, that we think we have to eliminate anything real? Are tears really that bad, so that they should never occur in front of others?
I was reprimanded by the mother of a friend of mine when I was a young child. We had been to see the movie Ring Of Bright Water. It was the story of a pet otter and it was adorable. However, it had a tragic ending and I wept. This woman probably meant well, but she told me to stop crying and that I shouldn’t wear my heart on my sleeve. I stopped crying while in her presence, but the tears flowed as soon as I was out of her watch. It was cathartic to cry.
Crying helps your vision and more
Tears actually are good for us. The obvious physical reason is that tears help us to see, because the lubrication is what is needed for the mucus membranes of the eyes. No tears, no eyesight. Tears also help to kill bacteria, viruses and other toxins in the environment that build up in our bodies. My favorite thing about crying, you ask? It relieves stress! After a good cry, blood pressure rates drop and moods improve. Research has shown that it is emotionally cathartic as well as physiologically important.
So, if you are a client of mine and tears start to well up, that is OK. I will not be shocked, nor will I think less of you. I won’t call you a baby or tell you to toughen up. In fact, I may sit quietly and let you cry it out.
For more information on the value of tears check out these sites:
7 Good Reasons To Cry Your Eyes Out PsychCentral.com
Why We Cry American Psychological Association
Why Crying Is Good For Your Health AgingCare.com
