05/10/2023
Most people do these 3 things when they cry:
1. Apologize “I’m so sorry”
2. Block the natural release (suppression)
3. Self shame “I hate that I cry so easily”
This is to be expect in a culture that doesn’t understand the nervous system and how it works. And, that shames people for natural human reactions.
When we experience fight or flight, our body goes into sympathetic energy.
We can go into fight or flight from:
- hearing about layoffs at work
- getting into conflict with a co-worker
- a partner raises their voice at us
- our mother in law brings up a subject we don’t want to talk about
Fight or flight is when our body senses external danger and: mobilizes or immobilizes to escape that danger.
Sympathetic energy will: dilate our pupils, increase heart rate, raise blood pressure, and increase sweating. All of this happens (usually beyond our awareness.)
Sometimes all of that sympathetic energy triggers a tear response. You’ll know it’s happening when you get a flash of anger and tears flood your eyes...
This is an attempt to discharge that energy— the body attempting to self regulate.
Let the tears flow.
Your body is working *for* you.
Notice how calm and regulated you feel after
