Comments on: I have a friend who says he can’t cry — are there medical conditions that stop people from crying? http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/ The Shortest Distance Between You and Science Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:45:26 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Susan http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-4528 Susan Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:31:10 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-4528 Four months ago I stopped crying. I feel the response starting as well as a very strong need to cry, but it is abruptly cut short. I have Lyme Disease and started a new herbal protocol around that time. The herbs immediately lifted a cloud of depression I was living under. I don't know if somehow they are preventing me from crying. Yesterday, in the middle of Tai Chi class, I started crying and then last night again a brief episode. Can I now cry again? I don't know. Four months ago I stopped crying. I feel the response starting as well as a very strong need to cry, but it is abruptly cut short. I have Lyme Disease and started a new herbal protocol around that time. The herbs immediately lifted a cloud of depression I was living under. I don’t know if somehow they are preventing me from crying.

Yesterday, in the middle of Tai Chi class, I started crying and then last night again a brief episode. Can I now cry again? I don’t know.

]]> By: DryEyeantorno http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-4507 DryEyeantorno Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:58:43 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-4507 Dear Broken, Sometimes at night I find myself asking the same question; what is wrong with me? I haven't cried since the war. I think I might be a robot; my doctor says I have Chronic Dry Eye, but I am not convinced. Try watching the Notebook or Love Actually. If you can't cry you may or may not be human. Love... Your Friend with Dry Eyes Dear Broken,
Sometimes at night I find myself asking the same question; what is wrong with me? I haven’t cried since the war. I think I might be a robot; my doctor says I have Chronic Dry Eye, but I am not convinced. Try watching the Notebook or Love Actually. If you can’t cry you may or may not be human.

Love…
Your Friend with Dry Eyes

]]> By: Broken http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-4417 Broken Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:32:16 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-4417 I'm 18 and simply can not remember the last time that I cried. It makes me wonder if I am broken. Something in me broke when I was younger and I just stopped crying. I don't think that I am depressed and there no significant truama in my past. I still feel emotions, probably the same as everyone else although i'll never know, but I can't cry. I want to. I’m 18 and simply can not remember the last time that I cried. It makes me wonder if I am broken. Something in me broke when I was younger and I just stopped crying. I don’t think that I am depressed and there no significant truama in my past. I still feel emotions, probably the same as everyone else although i’ll never know, but I can’t cry. I want to.

]]> By: Me http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-4393 Me Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:38:35 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-4393 I was depressed often until I suffered with a psychotic episode.I was put on drugs abilify to be exact.I took them for 5 months.Now that I am off them for 2 months I have not been able to cry.I actually show more emotions of anger now than sorrow.I think it could be the drugs that caused it,I do notice that everytime I want to cry I get a strong headache and that just distracts me from crying.I am pretty sad I dont feel like the same person I feel like I have changed.Like Marla describes her friend.Now that I dont cry I changed my mind of things for one I care less about people less attached.Because when I did cry I cried because I was attached or what some would could call love.Now I love them but I realize that when I was a weeping harlot I was hurting myself.Now I dont cry and dont feel abused,when I did cry it was because I felt so.I pretty much dont mind for people anymore after being hurt repeatedly.I hope them well but I just get emotionally attached or help them out in something,they can find it elsewhere like I did when I wept.So now I feel there is two of me that constantly fight,but the weeping me gives me a headache so when I want to cry or about to feel pity for myself I get a strong headache like a tension headache.Like I said before I can get angry but not cry,certain situations lately would be ones I would cry about and consider suicide cuz I was depressed but I dont feel that no longer,I actually think justice should be made and the other person be punished and die rather than myself.So yes I do have hope for myself as for others who do me wrong I wish them death.Not something I see as bad,the way I see it is they need to die before they change. I was depressed often until I suffered with a psychotic episode.I was put on drugs abilify to be exact.I took them for 5 months.Now that I am off them for 2 months I have not been able to cry.I actually show more emotions of anger now than sorrow.I think it could be the drugs that caused it,I do notice that everytime I want to cry I get a strong headache and that just distracts me from crying.I am pretty sad I dont feel like the same person I feel like I have changed.Like Marla describes her friend.Now that I dont cry I changed my mind of things for one I care less about people less attached.Because when I did cry I cried because I was attached or what some would could call love.Now I love them but I realize that when I was a weeping harlot I was hurting myself.Now I dont cry and dont feel abused,when I did cry it was because I felt so.I pretty much dont mind for people anymore after being hurt repeatedly.I hope them well but I just get emotionally attached or help them out in something,they can find it elsewhere like I did when I wept.So now I feel there is two of me that constantly fight,but the weeping me gives me a headache so when I want to cry or about to feel pity for myself I get a strong headache like a tension headache.Like I said before I can get angry but not cry,certain situations lately would be ones I would cry about and consider suicide cuz I was depressed but I dont feel that no longer,I actually think justice should be made and the other person be punished and die rather than myself.So yes I do have hope for myself as for others who do me wrong I wish them death.Not something I see as bad,the way I see it is they need to die before they change.

]]> By: Marla http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-4194 Marla Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:41:23 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-4194 I came here looking for some advice, regarding a person I know who is now incapable of crying. I have noted that this person, close to me, is now capable of other things instead. Has become self absorbed, uncaring of how others feel, uses people for what this person can get from them...ect.. I was reading the comments and the one comment that struck me as to where my friend is heading is, unfortunelty, non cryer, August 27, 2008 at 11:05 pm. The person who signed as Non Cryer, appears to be almost superior in his lack of emotional output. This strikes one as a person who cared very deeply at one time for people, places and perhaps social issues, only to lose hope in all mentioned, thus taking a shelter in not allowing feelings to be manifested. Its a shame. The other point that I am writing about, is the article where it is stated that crying is a uniquely human trait. This is catagorically untrue. Animals do cry. So do mammals. Elephants cry, for example, when people beat them and when their loved ones die. Koalas exhibit tears, as do horses, as do cats actually. And Ive seen dogs cry. In my years as a child and animal advocate, I have seen all spieces exhibit deep sorrow, I have seen a young loin die of a broken heart, despite all our efforts to save him, once his mate was shot by a hunter. I have seen wolves literally die of starvation when their mate is caught in a barbaric animal trap and instead of eating, laid there next to their mate and died along with their mate. I have seen bears cry, I have seen cows and calves suffer such pain and intense heart break when at rodeos that it would make you be ashamed to be a human being. I have seen children, cared for them, tried to help them adjust to the horrific thingstheir parents did to them, cry in such a way that I would think "this is the sound that angels make when they weep." So in closing, I'd like to say, that tears are an important function of a well adjusted life form, but that said, just because tyou cant see a life form crying does not mean that they are not. As my Grandmother once told me "Just beacause you cannot see a tree crying when it is being chopped down, does not mean that the tree is not." So to the gentleman that wrote in on, August 27, 2008, Non Cryer, I hope one day you will allow those close to you the honour of comforting you and may you find the peace and freedom and trust you search for, to allow yourself to cry on the outside instead of solely on the inside. I came here looking for some advice, regarding a person I know who is now incapable of crying. I have noted that this person, close to me, is now capable of other things instead. Has become self absorbed, uncaring of how others feel, uses people for what this person can get from them…ect..
I was reading the comments and the one comment that struck me as to where my friend is heading is, unfortunelty, non cryer, August 27, 2008 at 11:05 pm. The person who signed as Non Cryer, appears to be almost superior in his lack of emotional output. This strikes one as a person who cared very deeply at one time for people, places and perhaps social issues, only to lose hope in all mentioned, thus taking a shelter in not allowing feelings to be manifested. Its a shame.
The other point that I am writing about, is the article where it is stated that crying is a uniquely human trait. This is catagorically untrue. Animals do cry. So do mammals. Elephants cry, for example, when people beat them and when their loved ones die. Koalas exhibit tears, as do horses, as do cats actually. And Ive seen dogs cry. In my years as a child and animal advocate, I have seen all spieces exhibit deep sorrow, I have seen a young loin die of a broken heart, despite all our efforts to save him, once his mate was shot by a hunter. I have seen wolves literally die of starvation when their mate is caught in a barbaric animal trap and instead of eating, laid there next to their mate and died along with their mate. I have seen bears cry, I have seen cows and calves suffer such pain and intense heart break when at rodeos that it would make you be ashamed to be a human being.
I have seen children, cared for them, tried to help them adjust to the horrific thingstheir parents did to them, cry in such a way that I would think “this is the sound that angels make when they weep.”
So in closing, I’d like to say, that tears are an important function of a well adjusted life form, but that said, just because tyou cant see a life form crying does not mean that they are not. As my Grandmother once told me “Just beacause you cannot see a tree crying when it is being chopped down, does not mean that the tree is not.”
So to the gentleman that wrote in on, August 27, 2008, Non Cryer, I hope one day you will allow those close to you the honour of comforting you and may you find the peace and freedom and trust you search for, to allow yourself to cry on the outside instead of solely on the inside.

]]> By: Tania http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-3360 Tania Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:38:41 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-3360 Hi, Learning more about depression has opened my eyes to a few things. From the mouth of people who have clinical depression and accept it, they have said that depression is not a constant state of sadness but instead, a state of not being able to feel anything at all. Remember that being depressed does not always mean that something so bad happened to you that you are always sad. It also means that there may be a chemical imbalance in your brain and problems just add to it. Also, having problems and realizing that you can't feel anything or can't cry when you probably should be can be devastating, adding more to the depression. (I bet you can see the vicious cycle here) Hi,

Learning more about depression has opened my eyes to a few things. From the mouth of people who have clinical depression and accept it, they have said that depression is not a constant state of sadness but instead, a state of not being able to feel anything at all.

Remember that being depressed does not always mean that something so bad happened to you that you are always sad. It also means that there may be a chemical imbalance in your brain and problems just add to it. Also, having problems and realizing that you can’t feel anything or can’t cry when you probably should be can be devastating, adding more to the depression. (I bet you can see the vicious cycle here)

]]> By: Tania http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-3302 Tania Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:49:28 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-3302 "Strong emotions cause our brains to release chemicals that indirectly lead to teary eyes." Is there not a part of the brain that can be damaged when someone can't cry? For example, maybe the chemical-releasing part of the brain that causes tearing when you feel a strong emotion can be releasing the chemicals/hormones/neurotransmitters at the wrong times or not at all. I find this likely for those who do not have depression or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. For those who do or used to have a stronger degree of Depression, it's like Diabetes. When you have an onset of diabetes (after birth) or as an adult)the insulin receptors/releasers in the body are damaged because you probably had too much sugar and your pancreas stopped being able to filter sugar properly. For depression or any emotional disorder, the inability to cry and crying at the wrong times may come from having cried too much which may have caused the receptors/releasers in the brain to be damaged just like in Diabetes. (Sorry if I'm contradicting myself or make no sense or am giving the wrong info; please correct me) For those who think that you don't have depression and feel that you just do not have the reasons to cry because you know "that you have lived life, and that there are other things bigger than break ups and deaths," you might actually be desensitized to emotion and are not interested in things much/don't feel things like most people (apparently) do. You can still be happy and might be content with how you feel now, but you might remember that earlier in life, you either felt really bad and, at that point, decided that you never needed to cry again or, you never actually cried. I say all of this because, like all things that happen to people, it's either psychological or physical. I hope you all can get some sort of help because even if it does look pathetic, crying is the best thing one can do to renew one's spirit and energy, and clear one's mind in order to make good decisions. Good luck to all! “Strong emotions cause our brains to release chemicals that indirectly lead to teary eyes.”

Is there not a part of the brain that can be damaged when someone can’t cry? For example, maybe the chemical-releasing part of the brain that causes tearing when you feel a strong emotion can be releasing the chemicals/hormones/neurotransmitters at the wrong times or not at all. I find this likely for those who do not have depression or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

For those who do or used to have a stronger degree of Depression, it’s like Diabetes. When you have an onset of diabetes (after birth) or as an adult)the insulin receptors/releasers in the body are damaged because you probably had too much sugar and your pancreas stopped being able to filter sugar properly. For depression or any emotional disorder, the inability to cry and crying at the wrong times may come from having cried too much which may have caused the receptors/releasers in the brain to be damaged just like in Diabetes.

(Sorry if I’m contradicting myself or make no sense or am giving the wrong info; please correct me)

For those who think that you don’t have depression and feel that you just do not have the reasons to cry because you know “that you have lived life, and that there are other things bigger than break ups and deaths,” you might actually be desensitized to emotion and are not interested in things much/don’t feel things like most people (apparently) do. You can still be happy and might be content with how you feel now, but you might remember that earlier in life, you either felt really bad and, at that point, decided that you never needed to cry again or, you never actually cried.

I say all of this because, like all things that happen to people, it’s either psychological or physical.

I hope you all can get some sort of help because even if it does look pathetic, crying is the best thing one can do to renew one’s spirit and energy, and clear one’s mind in order to make good decisions.

Good luck to all!

]]> By: anonymous http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-3277 anonymous Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:41:36 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-3277 hey okay so i havent been able to cry in forever! i used to take medicine for depression and im so afraid that it has enabled me to cry. i took the medicine becuase my father abused me emotionally and physically and i havent cryed ever since ive seen him which was two years ago. well ok thats not entirly true. i can only cry when i see things about abuse.. ANYWAYS so i was watching this commercial and supposidly there are eye drops that can trigger the chemicals in your brain to make you cry. but just ask your eye doctor.. there is still hope! hey okay so i havent been able to cry in forever! i used to take medicine for depression and im so afraid that it has enabled me to cry. i took the medicine becuase my father abused me emotionally and physically and i havent cryed ever since ive seen him which was two years ago. well ok thats not entirly true. i can only cry when i see things about abuse.. ANYWAYS so i was watching this commercial and supposidly there are eye drops that can trigger the chemicals in your brain to make you cry. but just ask your eye doctor.. there is still hope!

]]> By: Debbie http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-3188 Debbie Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:44:18 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-3188 I was on here to see why my co-worker doesn't cry, then I read Alexis's post. I'm so very sorry that nobody helped you. I'm sorry that it broke you. I hope you can find healing. You were only trying to do the right thing. I pray you find your joy again. I was on here to see why my co-worker doesn’t cry, then I read Alexis’s post. I’m so very sorry that nobody helped you. I’m sorry that it broke you. I hope you can find healing. You were only trying to do the right thing. I pray you find your joy again.

]]> By: sue http://www.scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/comment-page-1/#comment-3110 sue Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:37:57 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/04/16/ask-sergo-nocrying/#comment-3110 I have not been able to cry for over 5 years. Am 62 years old. Separated about 5 years ago from husband of 40 years. Divorced 2 years ago-could not cry then or at deaths in the family or any other loss. I feel that I want to cry, that it would make me feel better. May get a little misty but cannot break down and have a good cry. Doctors and even a psychiatrist don't seem to think it's a problem, but I do. This is the first place I have seen other people have the exact same problem and possible reasons. I take anti-depressants and they seem to help somewhat. I have not been able to cry for over 5 years. Am 62 years old. Separated about 5 years ago from husband of 40 years. Divorced 2 years ago-could not cry then or at deaths in the family or any other loss. I feel that I want to cry, that it would make me feel better. May get a little misty but cannot break down and have a good cry. Doctors and even a psychiatrist don’t seem to think it’s a problem, but I do. This is the first place I have seen other people have the exact same problem and possible reasons. I take anti-depressants and they seem to help somewhat.

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