For Anybody Who Needs To Hear It, It's OK To Cry
Just let the tears flow.
Let me start off by saying, yes I am OK. I just cry a lot. Maybe I'm sad, frustrated, happy, depressed, who knows. I'll tell you one thing I sure don't. There seems to be a negative stigma around crying, that it shows weakness or lack of emotional stability, but sometimes it's nice to just let it out whatever you've been holding back. We shouldn't feel shameful for letting a few tears out, and here's why.
Have you ever held your feeling in for so long, and when you're able to let it out you instantly feel better? Well, sometimes crying can release endorphins that can relieve stress and make us feel better. Sometimes crying can feel like a weight being lifted off your shoulders, and that's probably why. According to an article on WebMD, there are some places in Japan where you can cry with the comfort of other people, who are also crying. This article states that a reason for this is because Japanese people know the health benefits of crying, and want to create a sort of safe space for people to do this.
It's normal to cry after getting hurt, physically or emotionally, being happy, and so on. I can cry when I see my favorite band perform simply because of how proud I am, I can cry when finishing a good video game because of how the story impacted me, and I can cry when I stub my toe. Why? Because it's a natural response to how I'm feeling at the moment. I cried at the end of Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, and like how I cried when I watched Detective Pikachu, and I'm not going to hold that back.
Crying shouldn't just be regarded as a sign of weakness or sadness, but rather just as a way to express any sort of emotion. I am consistently told by my family that I need "grow up" but sometimes I can't help it. Of course, there is a time and place to let it all out, I am not going to cry at work in front of customers or managers every time I get upset or yelled at (no matter how much I want to sometimes).
However, I feel that when I am surrounded by family and loved ones I should feel comfortable enough to show my true emotions. I believe that for whatever reason, if you feel like you might become overwhelmed, just separating yourself from the situation for a moment, do your thing, calm down, and going back. That can go over way better than, holding it all in and breaking down later in a place where you might not be able to go off and calm down.
Crying can relieve tension, stress, and is a way to express yourself. We shouldn't be put down or feel bad for crying more than others. Crying has some health benefits and sometimes we all just need to do it.