

Why do we cry?
8 snips Feb 14, 2024
Exploring the power and mystery of crying, including its purpose and evolution. Reconnecting with emotions through induced crying. The impact of crying on relationships and social support. The significance of studying crying. QuickBooks Money and Factor sponsorship.
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Benjamin's Crying Experiment
- Benjamin Perry had not cried in over a decade and started an experiment to make himself cry daily.
- He finally cried hard thinking about his parents dying, breaking years of emotional repression.
Purpose of Emotional Tears
- Emotional tears are unique to humans and likely evolved for social connection.
- Crying signals vulnerability, eliciting empathy and support from others through deep brain processes like mirror neurons.
When Crying Helps Emotionally
- Only about half of people feel better after crying; benefits depend on the situation's controllability.
- Crying aids emotional release more when the outcome can still change, not in irreversible events.