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What happens when you cry? The three types of tears that exist and why we shed them
Psychology
The psychologists Silvia González and Elena Huguet explain that it is not advisable to censor emotions, since understanding them constitutes one of the most important lessons in life
PM2:52Companies that emotions they are a complex state of activation of the organism. Through them we perceive what is happening around us and they are what move us to act. It is true that emotions “speak” to us and are capable of expressing something to us, but with a very different language from the one we are used to hearing.
Most emotions are expressed in ways non verbal, that is, without words but through body language. For example, when we get excited, our gaze changes, we orient our body and place our hands in a certain way, or we even modulate physical contact or our own voice. Recognize and interpret non-verbal language it is complicated, it requires a lot of effort and practice. However, it is one of the fundamental “ingredients” of the emotional intelligence.
Why do we cry?
If we focus on the act of cry, we see that we have three kinds of tears: basal, which are found in the eye and are intended to lubricate, nourish and protect the cornea; the you reflex, are formed to rid the eye of substances that can irritate it, such as tobacco smoke, foreign bodies, etc .; and the emotional, caused by a wide spectrum of emotions, both happy and sad.
Most researchers consider that emotional tears they are unique to humans. Although much research is being done on crying today, we know that emotional tears are produced by the influence of biological, physiological and social factors. We can come to think that getting emotional, showing affection, or crying belongs to weak people who do not know how to control themselves. It is common for a person to refuse to cry in front of friends for fear of abusing their friendship or losing it and thus suffering a loss. Other people fear that crying openly may not seem dignified or that it will make others uncomfortable. Nothing is further from reality.
There are studies that tell us that many people feel better after crying if they have received social support during the crying, as these tears allow the person to vent, give the crying person a new understanding of what was wrong, and help the individual experience that sense of well-being. On the contrary, those who tried to hold back tears or cry in an environment where they did not find social support feel the least better after crying.
It is not advisable to submit to censors emotionsUnderstanding them is one of the most important lessons in a person’s life and “disguising” them will not contribute to finding ourselves better.
Silvia González and Elena Huguet are part of the team of «In mental equilibrium» (evidence-based psychology). Huguet is, in addition to being a registered psychologist, an expert in Brief Strategic Therapy and combines her activity with research in the UCM doctoral program. He participates in numerous international congresses and in scientific publications.
For her part, Silvia González is a psychologist with a master’s degree in Clinical and Health Psychology and a Master’s degree in General Health Psychology. In addition to being part of the «In mental balance» team, she has worked at the University Psychology Clinic of the UCM, where she has also been a tutor of the students of the University Master’s Degree in General Health Psychology. He has given informative trainings such as “Workshop on Emotional Understanding and Regulation”, “Workshop on Improving Public Speaking Skills” or “Workshop on Test Anxiety”.