Tears
People are often hesitant to cry before others because they’re petrified of being labeled as weak. However, crying just shows that they’re not scared of their emotions. They know crying doesn’t cause you to be weak and aren’t afraid to do it. One more reason is that they don’t care about gender roles or societal expectations. They aren’t afraid to break the 2 most toxic stereotypes, namely “boys don’t cry” and “girls are too emotional”. If a man cries, he’s called weak, and if a female does she is either doing it for attention or is overly sensitive. Crying must be normalized. It’s not an indication of weakness.
Also, crying is not always out of fear or sadness – they can be tears of frustration, too. Sometimes it seems like you’re yelling something at the world, screaming it at them and every bit of it goes in one ear and out the other, not one person listening. You persist, trying and trying, but somehow it’s never enough. Once you reach that verge of collapse, crying just…happens. It isn’t something that can be changed. Crying isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of being strong for too long.
It’s unfair that society puts sadness into a box. It causes repression of emotions and leads people to make wrong decisions in life – all because they couldn’t find a healthy way to express their feelings. Crying is simply an expression of fear, anger, sadness, or, as I mentioned before, frustration. Sometimes, when nobody hears you out, the barrier floods and it reaches a degree where if you do not cry, it’s bad for you.
Psychological studies have determined that crying stimulates our brain’s endorphin release. These hormones also act as a natural pain killer, making crying a therapeutic experience for everybody. Crying can also be a decision – the decision to not care about others’ opinions, and a decision I believe everyone should take. Additionally, crying also reduces the manganese levels in our bodies, which helps us relax. Crying is the body’s way not only to reduce emotional stress but also to process it.
Crying should not be perceived as an indication of weakness, but an indication of internal strength and self-awareness.
– Misha Raval, 9H