Any one person, regardless of their cultural or ethnic background, is likely to read this and be able to agree that they have fallen victim to the common myth that "expressing emotions is a sign of weakness" at some point in their life. Humanity's fear of emotional expression is correlated with a fear of losing control, which our society tells us is threatening to our status and well-being. However, despite our best efforts, emotions are much like a pot of boiling water. Emotions will emerge in some capacity whether we are actively trying to suppress them or not. Unexpressed emotions often show up in ways like anger or rage towards other people, uncontrolled emotional outbursts, feelings of depression, physical ailments (headache, muscle aches, etc), a critical view of the self, and so forth. Contrary to society's implications, verbal expression of emotion is actually an extremely beneficial coping strategy. A professor of Psychology and Psychiatry submits that emotions are much like an "internal compass" that direct us toward success in life goals and flexible coping strategies (Johnson, 2000). Feeling heard by a close friend or trusted family member often leads to feelings of support and companionship. Instead of making us "weak", emotional expression actually strengthens us both mentally and physically. Expressing emotions lessens or eliminates feelings of anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, etc. For instance, the importance of grief has long been examined by psychology researchers. What we do know is this: emotional expressions like crying are a sign of emotional health and a demonstration of a secure relationship with the self. Therefore, crying and other expressions of emotions are actually a sign of strength, NOT weakness.

References:

Johnson, S. M. (2000). Review of Expressing emotion: Myths, realities, and therapeutic strategies. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 41(2), 137–138. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088170