Whats the biological reason for crying?

[pacifistx]

This subject comes to mind right now because I was looking through Facebook, specifically people I've known. They have a nice circle of friends. Judging from all their pictures, having that circle of friends seems just nice to have for reasons of company, enjoyment, and belonging.

 

I, on the other hand, do not have much. I have my family, which only consists of my mom and dad. I am an only child. I have few acquaintances at work and school. Looking through the photos on Facebook alone has made me shed some tears.

 

Then again, I really have no room to complain. My behavior is naturally introverted, but I have given a try at being extroverted. I did talk to random people, and I did things I would consider awkward. It was fun while it lasted. I did have those friends and sexual partners that sometimes I do miss, but for different reasons alone I rejected them. Some, I have even made rash mistakes with, in effect, that has separated me from my friends. Even last night, a friend I have not seen in months gave me call to go see a movie. Honestly, I did not want to go with him because chances are he would have a girl with him, whom he would flirt with throughout the time, along with a group of guys that I wouldn't know. I told him I had work in the morning, which was true, but I did not have to get up early.

 

Now I only wonder, what is the biological purpose of letting out this water from my eye ducts.

 

Sometimes I do feel like I am a non-human being living in a human body. And I do not mean that in some religious sense, but in a sense that I feel I am different from everyone around me. I do not fit in anywhere.

[Clementine orange]

Everybody is different from everybody and alot of us feel like we are non-human in a human body. Most people are just really good at faking appearing normal. Or else they do it in ways that may be unfamiliar to us.

 

I don't know what is the biological purpose to crying. I also don't really understand gravity. It doesn't matter why sometimes.

[pacifistx]

Understanding why is important in disproving silly stuff like angels and ghosts. So surely, crying must not be based on emotions alone because I can make myself cry anytime I want to.

[Mr.Mister]

link removed

 

I think that answers your direct question. However, I don't think that's really what you are saying here. A lot of people feel different, but being different isn't always a bad thing. If you felt the same as everyone else, it would kind of get boring. A lot of the popular groups think they are "different" but once being different catches on, eventually everyone is "being different" and hence have become the same. If that makes any sense.

 

I think you should talk to someone. Sharing your story and asking questions here is a good start. There are a lot of helpful people here. Good luck!

[pacifistx]

I like it. It'd be funny if people peed their pants when they get excited, and I do think some do, well when they're scared.

 

Maybe by my shedding tears, I'm just wanting to communicate or let out stress.

[dragon111]

well yes there are the functional reasons about cleaning the eyes but i'll tell you how i personally see it.

 

I think back to our development, to me crying is a sign to other people that you are upset, it provokes an emotional response in somebody else thereforeeee propagating the upset persons survival. It's like how most peole find children cute, it's a pre-set thing for people to love and want to protect their young.

 

Crying is like somebody asking for help. BUT, we often cry alone, it's a cleansing process, you know how you always feel better after crying, i'm guessing that there are related chemical changes of the body provoked by the act of crying that affect the brains responses (automated rather like the chattering of somebodys teeth when it is cold allows that person to warm up-then crying when somebody is sad allows them to cheer up). I'm only guessing, but this is how i see it.

 

So three reasons:

functional- cleansing of eyes etc

primal- propagate survival

emotional- trigger brain responses and chemical changes

 

the question is, do animals cry emotionally? sure, they have tear ducts, but i don't think they cry emotionally, they have primal responses to express themselves other than crying, but i think animals can get depressed so must have chemical cleansing, but without the attached physicality of crying (i guess that must be a bonus for us humans- must be differences in biological make-up)

[dragon111]

okay i just read that link that somebody posted and it says almost exactly what i said and in the same order, i did not read that link until after i posted my first message! i'm training to be a scientist so i'm quite pleased with my order of thinking now lol

[dragon111]

I don't know what is the biological purpose to crying. I also don't really understand gravity. It doesn't matter why sometimes.

 

 

I don't really understand gravity either, very few people do, i'm in uni doing physics and it is still baffling! you need to know alot to really understand gravity, people sometimes say they understand it but they don't, not really, because if they did completely (it being one of the most important components of the "normal" matter universe) then they wouldn't be having such a hard time figuring everything else out, it would just all fall into place (because understanding gravity would involve an understanding of all forces out there), at least that's how i see it.

[eurocar]

If you don't understand physics, try quantum physics! Ack. Talk about abstract and far out.

 

Pacifist, I feel like I can absolutely relate to you. I feel so different, as well. I feel generally very disliked. No one ever calls me up to do something, and all my "friends" left me at different times years ago. I am incredibly lonely and feel like I've amounted to nothing. At least I have a decent job and car to keep me from killing myself.

 

If you wanna chat via AIM or somethin', PM me.

[chocolates]

I know that tears contain a lot of toxins. So crying is a way of releasing toxins.

 

But we can cry whether we are happy or sad. MAybe its nothing more than a release mechanism.

 

if you think about the term "i nearly sh!t myself" - it means you were so scared or so shocked that your body releases "stuff" it doesnt need so that the body has energy to cope with the present crisis, or 'fright'.

 

So maybe crying is a similar thing.???

 

All i know is that crying makes people feel better.

 

Did i just talk a whole lot of crap then???

[dragon111]

If you don't understand physics, try quantum physics! Ack. Talk about abstract and far out.

 

i know, i actually did an exam on quantum mechanics (quantum physics) yesterday, went ok except i ran out of time on one question. The maths got pretty complicated so there were three possibilities, either i had gone wrong somewhere, so i started again to make sure, or it all evaluated to zero, which i couldn't get it to do, or it was a definite integral, which it was, but i initially integrated with the wrong limits so ran out of time when i realised i should have gone all the way down to minus infinity :sad:

[JadedStar]

Other than cleansing the eye there has really been no scientific explanation for plain outright crying and sobbing even tho scientists have sought the answer for years.

[EQD]

mm.. i heard on a movie someone say that crying is like the bodies way of protecting itself.. like the feelings are so intense the mind needs to defend itself from it.

 

Its probably not true, and i may not have written it correctly but it was a cute thought anyway...