The Mechanics of Crying (not really a Dr Who post)

[slumber]

I don't know why I keep priding myself on the fact that I rarely cry--in the last few years, I've proven myself wrong on many occasions, on more times than can be excused. Just because I didn't always cry when I was depressed--I'd usually cry from frustration, back in high school--didn't mean I had control over when I cried and when I didn't.

More recently, I cry when I'm overwhelmed by emotion, but it seems that even with that criterion, I still cannot figure out when that happens. Sometimes it feels like the tears that should be forthcoming don't come at all, and sometimes it feels like they sneak up on me whenever they feel like it.

siobhanohare just linked me to the last few moments of the Dr Who finale. I don't even know this show, but only a few minutes into the second youtube link and already I'm bawling like a baby.

Where the fuck did that come from?

The most I got out of Rent, which you all know I adore to the highest heavens, was a little teary-eyed. The same thing went for watching Love Actually on Valentine's Day with my recently-single-friend. Brokeback Mountain failed to move me, even though I swear I tried. :| The last time I remember seriously crying at something I've watched was I am Sam. (Before that, I also cried at A Walk to Remember.)

I can't figure out what makes me cry, and though it's frustrating me, I can't deny that I love the feeling of a good cry, primarily because it feels so good to purge.

(And if earlier I didn't know why I prided myself on the fact that I rarely cry because I actually cry quite often, now I'm not sure why I consider not crying something to be proud of. I think I actually like the act of crying.)

In any case, let me throw this back to my flist: Tell me about your crying habits. Do you cry easily or do you not, and regardless of your answer, what usually makes you cry?

Comments

[illuminations.livejournal.com]

I cry easily when it comes to movies and books or whatever. Titanic? Would have been really crying, but was only teary-eyed because I was in 5th grade and was embarrassed that my friend would see me. Walk to Remember? CRIED. Stepmom? CRIED. ROTK? Cried. The Notebook (both movie and book)? BAWLED.

I'm pretty lame when it comes to that sort of stuff. It's harder to get me to cry in RL situations though. Although, I don't know how much harder.

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I had a thought about the dichotomy between real life events that make us cry and pretend things that make us cry, but I appear to have lost it. :|

I think it takes a lot to get me crying for either, but yeah, I'm not sure how much more than the normal, too. It's not like my life's that dramatic these days or something, lol, though I definitely prefer crying over something pretend. Sleeping after a good cry always feels so good, and I don't really know why.

[arimunami.livejournal.com]

I am known as a bit hard to my friends and family, and am more often than not unmoved. But when I am moved I am my own damn. The only thing that REALLY got me was reading Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy- it just about killed me. I literally cried for three days straight. I've never gotten over it either- I am welling up whilst writing this. It's pitiful!

Also admit that I did have a tear or two for the Dr Who finale. But not like my friend, whose face was covered in snot as the credits rolled. I had to stay strong for her!

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I've never gotten around to reading that series, though it lies rather neglected somewhere among my possessions. :| My family considers me somewhat stoic as well, but then again, I do come from a family that rarely displays emotion--we all don't cry, and seeing any one of us tear up is rare.

You know, there's another thing too, with you and your friend. I don't think I find it as easy crying over films and stuff when I'm watching them with someone. Maybe that's my missing factor--I've cried over things that I was watching alone or felt I was watching alone.

[ensemble.livejournal.com]

I cry at the end of every Lord of the Rings film. I also cry every time I watch Harry crying over Cedric's body in GOF. Oh, and when I get relly frustrated.

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Yeah, frustration's one of the reasons I used to cry. :\ In those instances, I'd usually forgive myself for crying.

[theroutineriot.livejournal.com]

I cry easily and I hate it. It wouldn't be so bad, but I even cry when I'm really angry. So there I am, completely enraged and I burst into tears. :| Then I'm pissed off because I'm crying so I cry harder. Surprisingly, I don't cry when I'm having a panic attack, probably because I'm on a completely different 'we're all going to die!' planet. Or something.

[slumber.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever cried because of a panic attack either, but yeah, I can imagine crying even harder out of frustration over the fact that you're crying. :\

[jaig.livejournal.com]

I Am Sam, and one episode of Grey's Anatomy where a massive train wreck impales a guy and a younger girl together; when the girl realizes she has to die so that the guy can have a chance of being saved, I start tearing up, and just before they put her to sleep, she asks him, "do you believe in heaven?" and then I'm so far gone I just wait for the credits.

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I can see myself crying over that. :\

[lina-harrison.livejournal.com]

I do cry easily. I tend to weep sometimes. I got used to the fact that my eyes are watering when I'm reading books (my god, I was crying like a baby when I was reading the Dark Tower series XD), reading mangas (I sooo cried whilst reading the final volumes of "Great Teacher Onizuka"), sometimes watching movies.
It depends on the plot usually. I get so tied to the characters, tend to feel like them. It's like a second reality for me, even though I remind myself that it's total fiction ^^' Yeah, I'm weird :P

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Yeah, even though I don't always cry, I love getting emotionally tied to fictional characters. :P It's sort of like living vicariously through them? :P

[jetsam-porridge.livejournal.com]

Yes, I cry easily. EVERYTHING makes me cry. TV shows, books, songs, movies, people, dramas... hell, even THINKING about sad things can make me cry! I'm just one of those nutso emotional people. But I don't mind it so much, crying makes you feel SO much better. Even if it's only for a little while.

[slumber.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that. :P And it does, doesn't it? It's like WHOOSH! Suddenly whatever it is has just been let out, and damn that's good. (Of course, unless the reason you're crying is really crummy, and doesn't completely go away after just one cry and needs a couple more, in which case, ugh. :\)

[jetsam-porridge.livejournal.com]

Surprise. :P And if it's really REALLY crummy then it takes weeks of crying to get it out. :|

[slumber.livejournal.com]

*g* Ohhhh yeah. Weeks upon weeks, and even though you think you're all cried out, it starts ALLLLLL over again. :|

In the end though, it's all for the best, I think.

[jetsam-porridge.livejournal.com]

I guess eventually you get so sick of crying about it that you get over it. That's my theory, anyway, I'm in the process of testing it. I'll let you know how it goes!

[slumber.livejournal.com]

GMAIL IS YOUR FRIEND, CHARLI. :| *snuggles*

I have hypotheses, but no scientific way of proving them! Terrible. :O

[klave.livejournal.com]

I never cry (or want to) in films, books etc. The last time I properly cried (as in full-on sobbing, the really nice therapeutic kind I wish I could do more often) was in September 2004. The last time I felt some tears coming but ignored them/forced them back was last Friday, and only because of what I consider quite severe provocation. I almost always stop myself when I feel myself crying, so much so that I hardly even need to cry at all any more - Friday was very unusual, and the first time it had happened in months. My friends think I'm an emotional retard. I agree with them.

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's quite a long time ago. You said you wished you could do those therapeutic crying times more often--Do you consciously or subconsciously try to stop yourself when you cry, then?

I think this thing about crying is that when we let it out, we let go of control over ouselves, over our emotions, and when we cry, we sort of have to ride it out until it's done, at least usually, I think it's harder to stop midway than before you even start, so maybe that has to do with it?

[klave.livejournal.com]

Both, I guess.

And I think you're right, but it's a ride I'm not sure I could deal with for a while. But then ignoring things makes them worse, right? So confusing!

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Oh man, yeah. It might be liberating to do so but the idea of it is terrifying!