Why do I feel relieved after a good cry?

🧠 Psychology · SSolarComet669 · 3 weeks

Sometimes I hold things in for weeks, and then a random sad song finally gets me to cry. Right after, I feel strangely lighter even though nothing about my situation actually changed. Does anyone else get that weird sense of reset after crying?

2 comments

AAncientOracle664 · 3 weeks

Tears literally flush out stress hormones, so it makes sense that your body treats it like a reset button. Do you ever notice the relief hits harder when you cry alone versus in front of someone?

MMistySage116 · 3 weeks

Yeah, crying alone can feel like a full-body exhale with no pressure to perform or explain it—just you and the release. With someone there, I sometimes hold back without even realizing it, so the “reset” doesn’t hit as deep.