How to Cry on Command
I don’t really cry, but when I cry, I cry.
My face turns red, my clothes are wet with sweat, my eyes swell. I’m a terrible crying Naomi Osaka.
But I don’t cry often. In fact, I usually have to plan for it. Every time the Hunger Games are on , I will cry when Ryu dies. If I listen to Sia’s Breathe Me, I will cry to the very last note. If I think about high school and how terrible it was, I cry uncontrollably.
Today Forbes wrote about why we should cry more often and its stress-relieving properties, which got me thinking: what if it’s not easy for some of us?
Unlike actress Bryce Dallas Howard, who might cry over a Home Depot proposal, what if crying seems impossible? Can we ever cry on command, or is this something we’re just born with? I’ve put together a few tips on how to cry on cue for those of us who (really) need it:
Use your memory
The most obvious way is to use your own memories to induce tears. Think back to times that make you feel uncomfortable, sad, or even a little scared (within reason). Think back to what it was like then, and if you need a trigger, try music or a scent that will remind you of that memory.
Ana Brenda Contreras, telenovela star, told The New York Times that your childhood can often stimulate good crying.
“They tell you to think of yourself as a child with no one in the world to take care of you,” Contreras says. “It’s about connecting with the part of yourself that feels vulnerable and abandoned. It works even if you had a happy childhood. “
Yawn to tears
Sometimes your eyes water when you yawn. According to the Huffington Post , it is a physiological response to pressure on the glands around the eyes, which cause tears to appear.
In a subsequent interview aboutConan, Howard said yawning was critical to her crying technique. Yawning over and over again will end up in tears. Use those tears to calm down and reflect on emotions and memories that will help.
Pinch yourself
When memories don’t work, make you cry. Pinch yourself lightly, pull the hairs in your nose, stare at the wall without blinking, or cut open the bulb until tears make you cry. Don’t go crazy now. You just need a little trigger to keep the tears flowing and from now on you will be done.
Use a tear stick
Actress Anna Faris shared this trick on Late Show with James Corden: When all else fails and you desperately want a good cry, use a tear stick. Tear sticks are made from menthol, which causes tears. It can be rubbed directly under the eye (do not rub directly into the eye as you will actually cause a lot more pain than you need to).
And if, after all this advice, you still can’t cry, that’s okay too. Some people just can’t cry (I just cry for both of us). Find other ways to release pent-up emotions, such as running around or giving yourself up to a friend. We all need an outlet, and sometimes it doesn’t always involve sobbing out of control.