Urge to cry .. HELP PLEASE

[Yvonne]

I suffer GAD and depression. I have gone very long periods where I have felt much better and my anxiety has been very manageable and mood good. However have been going through a bout of anx/depression for three years now - have never suffered this long. I used to use this forum regularly and I am going to ask a question which I used to focus on a lot in my posts. PLEASE can anyone relate to a feeling I get which is ruining my life... when the anxiety rises I get an urge to burst into tears. It can be overwhelming. Yes, I know in a panic attack lots of people would cry that's totally understandable. But this urge to cry when my anxiety isn't even that high, I start to hyperventilate and bang that's it get this urge to cry. It is so embarrassing hence I am not going out much right now. I have been on all the meds. I attend a psychotherapy group, I have a private psychologist/hypnotherapist and I have attended anxiety and depression groups through mental health. I just want someone to say yes I get this too. All I ever get told is to cry.. even the psychiatrist tells me just to cry.. the professionals say, what is so wrong about crying (in public) - what do you think people are going to say to you? But, the feeling is just awful and I feel despairing with it. Would be grateful for any comments please.

[suttree63]

Well I would say 'release' is good. If you feel a bit of a weakling - don't! Perhaps find a quiet place and have a good old blub. Tears release chemicals and tension. Indulge yourself a little bit and don't feel like you're giving in to it - you're not, you're just managing something (anxiety) which afflicts many many many many and even more than that ! Yes, so many of us get this feeling (men & women, I'm a bloke) … let 'it' out a bit more and it'll gradually recede and behave itself.

[Yvonne]

Suttree

Thank you so much for your comments... made me feel better already... to hear you say that both men and women get this feeling is a huge relief to me because I feel like I'm so different. Yes! I will give in to the tears - and yes of course crying releases certain chemicals and relieve tension. Being out in public and crying scares me to death … but I think I just have to face embarrassment. :)

[Carnation]

This happens to me usually after a bout of stress and worry and I use to worry about the crying but I now know it is the body's way of calming. And anything that can calm my anxiety, I take. I'm actually relieved when I cry now and I know it's not forever.

[Yvonne]

Carnation

Thanks for replying. Yes of course crying is the body's natural release when we are overly stressed - so to feel it when highly anxious as I am a lot of the time is not actually that abnormal. It's just that when I have to go out the anxiety is at a very high level.. again not unusual but I feel I won't be able to control the tears when I go into shops and therefore I am staying in. I really need to see the tears as a welcome release and not keep seeing the feeling as an enemy. I am so glad you replied and and I am very grateful. :)

[Yvonne]

Surprised and disappointed at not receiving many comments to my post :(

[Darksky]

I actually love a good cry and I never hold it back. When I'm panicking, tears are a million miles away. I'm too tense and terror struck to cry. I wish I could but no. I suppose when you think about it, when running from a tiger that last thing your body would do is burst into tears :)

Generally anxious then yes, tears are easy and I always indulge. It does calm so why not.