While crying is a natural expression of feelings and a natural response to life's experiences, you will inevitably encounter situations that are inappropriate and inappropriate for crying. Or, you face someone who is crying and wants to help calm them down. Whatever the condition, there are some physical and psychological activities that can help stop crying.
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Method 1 of 5: Physically Preventing Crying
Step 1. Try blinking, or not blinking at all
For some people, blinking quickly and repeatedly can spread tears until they are reabsorbed into their ducts, preventing the threatening tears from flowing. On the other hand, for some people, not blinking at all and opening the eyes as wide as possible can actually prevent tears from forming because the muscles around the eyes tighten. Only with practice will you know which way is right for you.
Step 2. Pinch your nose
Because the tear ducts run from the sides of the nose to the opening of the eyelids, pinching the nose and sides while closing your eyes can block the tear ducts (this method is best used before the tears start to flow).
Step 3. Smile
Studies show that smiling has a positive impact on emotional health. Smiling also positively influences the impression other people have on you. What's more, smiling is the opposite of crying, so it's harder for tears to come out.
Step 4. Cool down
One way to contain intense and unpleasant emotions is to take a break to splash cold water on your face. Not only will this relax you, but it can increase your energy and make it easier for you to focus. You can also put cold water on your wrist and rub it behind your ear. The main arteries in that area are just below the surface of the skin and cold water can send a calming effect throughout the body.
Step 5. Drink tea
Research shows that green tea contains L-Theanine, a substance that supports relaxation and reduces tension, as well as increases awareness and focus. So the next time you feel overwhelmed with tears threatening to come out, have a cup of green tea.
Step 6. Laugh
Laughter is an easy and inexpensive form of therapy that can improve your overall health and reduce feelings that make you want to cry or feel depressed. Look for anything that makes you laugh and feel the relief that follows.
Step 7. Try progressive relaxation
Usually the cry breaks out because of long pent-up tension. This process gives your body a chance to relax tense muscles and calm your mind. This type of relaxation is also a cognitive activity because it teaches you how to recognize how your body feels when you are feeling chaotic and tense, as opposed to when you are relaxed and calm. Begin with your toes, contracting one muscle group at a time for 30-second intervals, working your way up your body to your head. This activity also has the added benefit of relieving insomnia and restless sleep.
Step 8. Take control
Research shows that feelings of helplessness and passivity are often at the root of crying episodes. So that you don't burst into tears, switch your body from passive to active. This can be done by getting up and walking around the room, or opening and closing your hands with a light squeeze to activate the muscles and remind you that the action is conscious and you are in control.
Step 9. Use pain as a distraction
Physical pain distracts your senses from the root of the emotional pain, thereby reducing your tendency to cry. You can pinch yourself with your thumb and forefinger, bite your tongue, or pull your leg hairs.
If this attempt results in bruising or other physical injury, you should not continue this method and try some other tactic
Step 10. Take a step back
Get away from the situation, physically. If you get into an argument that makes you cry, step back for a few moments politely. It's not that you're running away from trouble; staying away will allow you to refocus your emotions and prevent threatening conflicts. During those breaks, apply a few other techniques to make sure you don't cry once you get back into the room and continue the discussion. The goal is to restore control of your emotions.
Method 2 of 5: Preventing Tears with Mental Practice
Step 1. Snooze your cry
As part of controlling your emotional response, tell yourself not to cry if you feel the urge to cry then, but that you will allow yourself to cry later. Take deep breaths and focus on easing the emotions that are threatening your tears. While this may be difficult at first, acknowledging the presence of these emotions and conditioning the body to respond appropriately at the right time is a long-term solution to preventing threatening crying at the wrong time.
Note that swallowing tears whole is not a good idea, as suppressed crying can cause long-term emotional damage and exacerbate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Always remember to give yourself a chance to express your emotions
Step 2. Try meditating
Meditation is an old way to reduce stress, fight depression, and relieve anxiety. You also don't have to look for a yogi to experience the benefits of meditation. Just find a quiet place, close your eyes and focus on your breath. Inhale long and deep, exhale slowly and measured. You will feel the negative feelings evaporate almost immediately.
Step 3. Look for positive distractions
Focus on something other than negative emotions. Think about what makes you happy or laugh. Watch funny animal videos on the internet. You can also try to focus on something you want. If you enjoy solving problems, solve math problems or work on small projects. If this doesn't seem to work, imagine a quiet and peaceful place mentally. Let your mind focus on the details of places that bring you joy. This will lead the brain to feel emotions other than sadness, anger, or fear.
Step 4. Listen to music
Music has various benefits in managing stress. Soothing music can calm us down, while music with empathetic lyrics can strengthen and reassure us. Choose music that suits your condition and wipe away the tears with a selection of good playlists.
Step 5. Practice sensitivity
Focus on yourself in the moment, the taste of the food, the breeze against your skin, the feeling of the fabric of your clothes as you move. When you focus on the present moment and really pay attention to what the five senses are feeling, your mental stress will be reduced and you'll see that the problem you're facing isn't really that big of a deal.
Step 6. Be grateful
We usually cry because we feel burdened by what we think is wrong in life or because of a problem we are facing. Take a deep breath and assume the problem you are facing is not too heavy, relative to other problems that may occur or have faced in the past. Remember the good things you have and be grateful for their existence. Keep a diary to remind yourself of all the gifts you have received and to help you through trying times.
Method 3 of 5: Dealing with the Cause of Tears
Step 1. Find out the source
Is the urge to cry accompanied by an emotion, event, individual, or some kind of stress? Can you minimize contact or interaction with these sources?
- If the answer is “yes”, find ways to avoid or limit contact with the source. You can do this by avoiding lengthy conversations with coworkers that hurt your feelings, or avoiding sad or violent movies.
- If the answer is “no,” consider seeing a therapist to discuss coping strategies. This step is especially important if the source of the negative emotion that makes you cry is a conflict with close family or loved ones.
Step 2. Acknowledge the existence of your emotions
While distraction is useful when crying threatens at inopportune times, be honest about your emotions once you're alone in a safe and private place. Introspect yourself, analyze your feelings, the source of the cause, and how to solve it. Ignoring emotions or continuing to try to suppress them will be counterproductive to the healing and repair process. In fact, long-term problems will persist in the subconscious and actually increase the desire to cry.
Step 3. Remember all the good things in your life
Develop the habit of overcoming negative thoughts and remembering all the good things about yourself. Whenever possible, try to maintain a 1:1 ratio of positive to negative thoughts. Not only will this make you feel happier in general, but it will also help prevent unwanted emotions because you're training your brain to recognize them, and regardless, you're a worthy individual.
Step 4. Get into the habit of writing in a diary to understand the source of your tears
If you're having trouble controlling your tears or aren't sure why you're crying, a diary can help you pinpoint the root cause. The habit of writing in a diary has a positive impact on health, helps you see the lessons of bad events, and helps clear your thoughts and feelings. Writing about anger or sadness can reduce the intensity of those emotions, so you will lessen the urge to cry. You will also get to know yourself better, become more confident and aware of situations or people that are a negative influence and should be removed from your life.
- Try to write in a diary for 20 minutes every day. Write in a freestyle, you don't have to worry about spelling, punctuation, or other writing rules. Write fast so you don't have time to censor what you write. You will be amazed at what you can learn from it and the fact that you will feel so much better afterwards.
- Writing in a diary allows you to express your emotions freely without judgment or restrictions.
- If you have experienced a traumatic event, a diary can help you process your emotions and make you feel much more in control. Write down all the facts of events and emotions that you experience in order to get the most out of the habit of writing in a diary.
Step 5. Get help
If nothing else seems to be able to help suppress the urge to cry and deal with negative emotions that are affecting your relationship or work, take the first step of resolution by contacting a licensed therapist. Usually the problem can be solved with behavioral therapy; however, if there is a medical reason behind it, the therapist can ensure that you receive the appropriate treatment.
- If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, seek help from a counselor or mental health professional. Symptoms of depression include: feelings of "empty" or prolonged sadness, feelings of helplessness, guilt and/or worthlessness, suicidal thoughts, decreased energy, difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much and changes in appetite and/or weight.
- If you have suicidal thoughts, seek help immediately. Try contacting mental health counseling at the Ministry of Health's Directorate of Mental Health Services at 500-454. Or call someone you trust to talk about your feelings.
Step 6. Realize if you are grieving
Grief is a natural response to loss; it may be due to the death of a family member, the end of a love relationship, the loss of a job, chronic illness, or other loss. There is no "right" way to grieve, nor are there any specific limits and time frames. Grieving can take weeks or years, and there will be a series of ups and downs in the process.
- Ask for support from friends and family. Sharing your loss is one of the most important factors in recovering from a loss. A support group or bereavement counselor will be very helpful.
- Over time, the intensity of the emotions associated with grief will ideally diminish. If you don't notice any progress or your symptoms seem to be getting worse, your grief may have progressed to major depression or complex grief. Contact a therapist or counselor to help you come to terms with the situation.
Method 4 of 5: Stopping the Crying of Babies and Children
Step 1. Know why the baby is crying
Remember that crying is your baby's only form of communication, and is a consistent indicator of his or her needs. Put yourself in your baby's way of thinking and consider what might be making him uncomfortable. Some of the reasons babies cry are:
- Hungry. Most newborns need to eat every two to three hours.
- Desire to suckle: Babies have a natural instinct to suckle and suck something as this is their way of getting food.
- Lonely. Babies need social interaction in order to develop into healthy and happy children, usually they cry when asking for attention.
- Tired. Newborns need a lot of sleep, sometimes they sleep as much as 16 hours a day.
- Uncomfortable. Think about the context of your baby's crying and what he's going through in anticipation of his normal needs and wants.
- Excessive stimulation. Too much visual stimulation, movement, or sound will be too much for the baby, causing him to cry.
- Sick. Usually the first signs of a baby being sick, allergic, or injured are crying and no reaction even after being soothed.
Step 2. Ask older children questions
Unlike the guessing games we use with babies, children already have a better form of communication and we can ask, "What's up?" This doesn't mean they can communicate like adults, so it's important that you ask simple questions and understand what he or she doesn't seem to be able to describe in detail.
Step 3. Pay attention to whether the child is injured
Younger children are usually difficult to answer questions when they are in pain, so it is important for parents and caregivers to pay attention to the context and physical condition of the child when he is crying.
Step 4. Offer a distraction
If your child is in pain or discomfort, it can help if you can distract him or her until the feeling goes away. Try to focus his attention on something else he likes. Determine if he is injured and where, then ask about all parts of his body except the part that actually hurts. This makes the child think about the part of the body you mentioned, not the part that hurts. This is called a diversion.
Step 5. Reassure and entertain the child
Children often cry in response to your discipline or after negative interactions with adults or their peers. When this happens, determine whether action will guarantee an improvement in the situation (such as taking a child into a fight), but always remember to remind the child that he or she is safe and loved, regardless of the conflict with you.
Step 6. Give the punishment in the form of a stapling
All children will behave badly from time to time. However, if your child cries, gets angry, or screams in an attempt to get what he wants, you must prevent the connection between bad behavior and satisfaction from forming in the child's mind.
- If your child has a tantrum (aka tantrum), put him in a quiet room and leave him there until the tantrum stops. After the anger subsides, return him to the social environment.
- If the tantrum is old enough to walk and obey orders, send him into his room, remind him that when he's calmed down, he can come out, say what he wants, and explain why he's angry. It also teaches productive strategies for dealing with anger and disappointment, while still making sure your child feels loved and valued.
Method 5 of 5: Soothing Adults' Cries
Step 1. Ask if he needs help
Unlike infants and children, adults are able to assess their own condition and determine if they need help. Before getting involved and trying to help, always ask if you can lend a helping hand. If he is experiencing emotional distress, he may need time to process those emotions before involving others in the recovery process. Sometimes an offer alone is enough to help him overcome the anxiety.
If the situation isn't serious and he welcomes the distraction, tell a funny story or joke. Comment on funny/weird articles you read on the internet. If he's someone you don't know or is a distant acquaintance, ask him about his likes and preferences
Step 2. Know the cause of his suffering
Is it physical pain? Emotional? Has he been in shock or has he fallen victim to something? Ask questions, but also observe the situation and surroundings for clues.
If she is crying and appears to be injured or in need of medical assistance, call for emergency assistance immediately. Stay with him until help arrives. If the location is not safe, take him to the nearest safe location if possible
Step 3. Provide appropriate physical contact
When facing a friend or loved one, maybe you can hug or hold their hand. The arms around his shoulders can also be a source of support and comfort. However, different situations permit different physical contact. If you're not sure whether a stranger you're meeting will receive solace from physical contact, ask first.
Step 4. Focus on the positive
Without changing the topic, try to focus on the positive aspects of the cause of the emotional problem. In the case of the loss of a loved one, mention the happy times you had with that person and some amazing things about them. If possible, recall a funny memory that can trigger a smile or maybe a laugh. The ability to laugh can reduce the urge to cry and improve your overall mood.
Step 5. Let her cry
Crying is a natural response to intense emotional distress, and even if the current situation isn't conducive or appropriate for crying, if no one is being harmed, letting someone cry can be the safest and most supportive option.
