| "The sorrow which has no vent in tears may | | | | leucine-enkephaline. |
| make other organs weep..." | | | | Teardrops have also been found to be caused by |
| Henry Maudsley | | | | the clogging of the nasolacrimal ducts, which are |
| Do you sometimes feel so choked that you need | | | | passages at the back of the nose. |
| to just pour it out? Why is it that many say they | | | | The stream of tears that run down our cheeks is |
| feel a lot better after a good sob? | | | | a no nonsense fluid. Tears contain a wealth of |
| Tears and Crying are not just for the lonely and | | | | information on its usefulness, composition, and our |
| the grieving. There are tears of laughter, | | | | body system's reaction to internal and external |
| manipulative tears, theatrical years, and tears | | | | stress. Its efficacy is unquestionable. |
| caused by the elements that come in contact | | | | Not everyone though believes in the noble |
| with our eyes. | | | | purpose of crying. |
| Tears and crying are generally associated with | | | | British Biologist Charles Darwin concluded in his |
| anger and sadness. We have to remember that | | | | book, The Expression of Emotions in Man and |
| pent up emotional and psychological hurts do not | | | | Animals, that weeping served no purpose; that is, |
| simply seethe inside. They need to find a way out. | | | | it is 'an incidental result' of the pressure we put on |
| But while they're churning within your system, | | | | our face when we twist our face. The same thing |
| your body is producing stress-related chemicals | | | | happens when we are upset, happy, laughing or |
| that are physiologically toxic. | | | | sneezing, all pointing to muscle contraction. In the |
| A reasonable amount of crying can do the works. | | | | same way that infants contract their faces when |
| A good cry calms nerve-racking tremors in your | | | | upset, the pressure placed upon the lachrymal |
| body during or after a tensed situation. It can | | | | gland forces the gland to squeeze tears out. |
| save you from mumbling curses or becoming | | | | Still others aver that crying, in earlier times, is less |
| violent which you might just regret later on. | | | | of a psychological and physical cathartic |
| Tears Under Study | | | | experience than initially thought; instead, crying |
| Tom Lutz, professor of English at the University | | | | only increases emotional and physical tension. |
| of Iowa and author of 'Crying:the Natural and | | | | David Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence |
| Cultural History of Tears, states that there are | | | | states: "While crying can break spells of sadness, |
| three types of Tears; | | | | it can also leave the person still obsessing about |
| First, Psychogenic Lacrimation which refers to | | | | the reasons for despair. The idea of a 'good cry' |
| emotional or psychic tears. It is our response to | | | | is misleading; crying that reinforces rumination only |
| emotional triggers emanating both from external | | | | prolongs misery." |
| source like pain, broken romance or internal | | | | Yet Frey strongly suggests that crying is a |
| source such as self realization, etc. When | | | | means of expelling a range of excess chemicals |
| emotions make themselves felt, the nervous | | | | and protein from the body. Crying, like urination |
| system fuels the cranial nerves and sends the | | | | and defecation, is simply one of the body's ways |
| message to the tear glands. Crying then results. | | | | of excreting wastes. |
| Second are Basal Tears. These are continuous | | | | Belief in the favorable effects of crying can be |
| tears that moisten the eyes. They barely | | | | traced thousands of years ago; In his Catharsis |
| generate visible drops since they either evaporate | | | | Theory, Aristotle inferred that crying at drama |
| between blinks or are drainedthought the Punta, | | | | 'cleanses the mind' of suppressed emotions by a |
| the small openings at the nose end of each eyelid | | | | process of 'catharsis,' where a reduction of |
| and eventually to thenose. | | | | distress takes place by releasing the emotions. |
| The third type is Reflex tears which act | | | | Countless of other researchers believe in crying |
| whenever smoke, onion vapors, andother irritants | | | | as one of the human's tools in coping and in being |
| get in the eyes. Still others wrote that Emotional | | | | able to maintain physical and emotional health |
| tears are one form of Reflex tears where only | | | | balance. It's no miracle then that you often will |
| the stimulus differs. | | | | feel lighter after a crying spree. 'It was a good |
| William Frey II, Ph.D. a Biochemist at the St. Paul- | | | | cry,' one may say. |
| Ramsey Medical Center in Minneapolis and one of | | | | Although there are countless ways of paring the |
| the world's few tear experts, literally collected | | | | effects of negative emotions,crying is the most |
| tears to chemically examine their contents. Tears | | | | expeditious and convenient option for restoring |
| caused by onions (reflex tears) contained 98% | | | | equilibrium withinwhen you are emotionally aching, |
| water whileemotional tears contained more toxins. | | | | sort of a first aid tool to buffer the initial shocks |
| Examinations also revealed tears contain | | | | that often accompany emotionally straining |
| endorphin, the brain's natural pain killer, whose | | | | circumstances. |
| properties are similar to morphine that can | | | | Simply crying may not resolve issues, dissolve |
| modulate pain, other sensations, and liftup mood. | | | | grief or heal old wounds at once. However, once |
| Tears also release prolactin and ACTH (pituitary | | | | you realize the oodles of accumulated stress |
| hormone) in response tostress. | | | | chemicals that have built up and still continue to |
| Tears are salty, watery secretions that | | | | build up, you'll be grateful for this wonderful gift of |
| constantly lubricate, moisten, cleanse, and protect | | | | the human's capacity to expel these poisons. |
| eyes from infection and irritants. Tears also | | | | You don't need to be a scientist to prove that |
| possess oils and mucus that form a thin film to | | | | there is comfort after a good cry. Crying, like an |
| protect the eyes' surface. | | | | intimate conversation with a friend, makes it |
| Studies further indicate that tears contain | | | | easier for you to handle emotional ordeals when |
| proteins, enzymes, lipids, metabolites, sugar and | | | | you feel you just cannot take them anymore. |
| electrolytes, potassium, manganese, and | | | | |