Learning to deal with grief involves many aspects. It’s comparable to peeling the layers of an onion. There are many levels to this grief journey. First, you experience the 5 Stages of Grief and then try and adapt to finding a new normal within the space in your home. All the while you are dealing with the physical and emotional roller coaster of emotions. Just when you think you have cried all the tears you could, something triggers your emotions and tugs at your heartstrings, and you start bawling again. I have news for you. You are not weird. Crying is a healthy part of grieving.
Why People Cry
Crying is a healthy expression of emotion. Everyone expresses their emotions differently however there are generalities that most of us can agree on.
For instance, when there is a joyous occasion like a graduation or wedding celebration, we may cry tears of joy. When some people get irate or angry, they resort to crying or worse. Lastly, when a pet or loved one dies, most of us cry tears of sadness and hurt.
The pain can be so unbearable to hold internally, the expression of this emotion comes out in the form of tears from our eyeballs.
Whatever the reason, emotionally healthy people do feel the need to cry occasionally, and that’s okay.
Don’t hold back
If you’ve ever experienced feeling like you want to cry yet hold in your tears, you know how uncomfortable it can be. It practically makes you feel physically ill to withhold crying even though your body is sending signals that it’s time to cry.
Despite what many people think when a person cries, it tends to last for just a few short minutes. Granted you may have several series of these episodes during a day or week, but it’s not ongoing. Once the initial troubling feelings are expressed, they’re released, and you feel better.
The act of crying has a calming effect on the body as one’s breathing often slows down. After shedding tears, you’re then able to move forward with your day.
Crying and the Grief Process
It’s natural to experience sad and lonely feelings related to a loss of a beloved family member or friend. During grieving, you may find yourself crying periodically throughout the day over a few days, weeks, or months. Between crying episodes, you might feel fine. However, the grief eventually returns. And this is normal.
Grief has a way of washing over you in waves. But then, minutes later, you’re feeling better. When grieving, sometimes a good cry is all you need to release troubling emotions for the moment.
Over time, you’ll feel less and less like crying.
Crying is a part of life
Understand that crying is a normal part of life that will happen occasionally for various reasons. Let go of your fears or stigma regarding crying.
Take heed if you or someone you know is crying almost daily for several hours each day and not feeling any better after a “good cry.” It may be a sign to check with your doctor to ensure you address any potential conditions or issues like depression that may require professional attention.
Go ahead and let yourself cry if you feel like it. The grief process is a journey much like a marathon. You’ll have good days and bad days. After a good cry, you’ll feel calmer afterward and be ready to confront your day with renewed passion and motivation.
Take it one day at a time. You are human. You are not alone.
Share your thoughts
How do you express your emotions in times of happiness or grief? Do you cry? Do you attempt to hold in your emotions? How did your expression of sadness make you feel afterward? Leave a comment below.
Don’t forget to share and pin this post!