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There are moments when the heart speaks louder than language, and it does so through tears.
Before the body breaks, the soul whispers, and sometimes, it weeps.
Tears are not fragility, they are the sacredness of emotions too deep for words.
Yet in the age of child-rearing, especially among sons, many parents, primarily fathers, discourage tears, believing them to be a sign of weakness. This cultural conditioning silences the very mechanism designed to cleanse, recalibrate, and reveal.
But tears are not weakness. They are wisdom in streams of saturation, evidence of emotional intelligence, spiritual depth, and the body’s innate ability to process what the mind cannot articulate.
Most members of society cry for a multitude of reasons: happiness, grief, sadness, or the overwhelming beauty of a moment endured. These tears are not random, they are biochemical, emotional, and spiritual signals.
To cry is to confess without words. It is the soul’s way of speaking when language fails.
Does one feel better about the circumstances, the turn of events once the tears have been shed? Is there a better sense of mental peace, the relinquishing of emotional turmoil?
Why do teenagers or older adults shed tears with a softer approach? Is it a normal response to accept its cause, or do we show apathy?
Why does society cry?
Studies have shown infants begin to shed tears between 4–8 weeks of age. Be advised: infants are known to develop inflamed tear ducts, which result in crust formation of the eyes, not to be confused with conjunctivitis.
There is always a scientific fact behind this natural physical response of mind and heart. We are taught at a younger age that crying is good for the soul, but is it really?
I professionally engage with intellects on a greater scale. More often than not, in the engagement of my profession, I assess the root of Mental Behavior(s) on a global measure. And those tears can be deceptive in a court of law, misleading, or yes, detrimental to the eyes, if used as a catalyst to do psychological damage. Especially if you do not know the science behind this natural reactive emotion.
The Mechanics Of Shedding Tears (Crying)
William H. Frey II, a biochemist at the University of Minnesota, proposed that people feel ‘better’ after crying due to the elimination of stress hormones, specifically adrenocorticotropic hormone. The calming effects of crying, such as slow breathing, often outlast the negative effects.
There is a related medical term known as lacrimation, which refers to shedding tears non-emotionally. Tears produced during emotional crying have a chemical configuration that differs from other types of tears. They contain prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, leuenkephalin, potassium, and manganese.
How Do You Cry
Crying is known in many forms: weeping, whimpering, sobbing, and blubbering.
Disorders That May Affect Crying
- Familial dysautonomia: Lack of overflow tears (alacrima) during emotional crying
- Colic: Infant’s excessive crying with no obvious cause
- Pseudobulbar Affect: Uncontrollable episodes of laughing and/or crying
- Bell’s Palsy: Faulty regeneration of facial nerve causing tears while eating
- Cri du Chat Syndrome: Infant cry resembling a kitten’s meow, caused by laryngeal and nervous system issues
Types of Crying: Positive and Negative
- Spatial Perspective: Sad crying as reaching out to be “there” with someone or someplace lost
- Temporal Perspective: Sorrowful crying tied to past regret or future dread
- Public vs. Private Crying: Reflects identity, vulnerability, and social signaling
Religious Views of Shedding Tears
The Shia Ithna Ashari (Muslims who believe in Twelve Imams after Muhammad) consider crying a sacred responsibility. They believe a true lover of Imam Hussain can feel his afflictions so deeply that tears and wailing become spiritual expressions. (Cited: 09-29-25-K.)
Classification of Tears
- Basal Tears: Keep the eye lubricated and smooth
- Reflexive Tears: Triggered by irritants like onions or wind
- Psychic Tears: Expelled during emotional states
Gender Differences in Crying
We, as women, are more likely to cry and do so more frequently across cultures. These differences emerge in middle childhood and persist in adulthood.
Masculine sex-role stereotypes discourage men from displaying internal emotions. Men also seek less help in response to mental illness and suffering, linked to higher suicide rates.
Physiologically, men have smaller tear ducts, more testosterone (which may inhibit crying), and less prolactin (which may promote tears).
If You’re Around Someone Who Is Actively Crying
Acknowledge their sadness, embarrassment, or pain. Show compassion toward their feelings. Respect their tears. Let them release their emotions and show them you care.
Inhale and Exhale
Whatever you shed tears for, know it is a beautiful natural occurrence. When you see someone cry, understand the science behind the tears. Know what tears are being shed. In my world, it is all about the science, and I thank you for allowing me to explain what tears are, the feelings behind them, and the identity of those tears.
Enjoy the journey through life. Baptize your mind and heart in truth. Try your best to uphold justice. Circulate peace, and whatever you do, always smile after the tears have fallen.
K. Director Of Nursing, APRN
