Imotara

Is it normal to cry for no reason?

Yes, and there is usually a reason — it is simply not the one in front of you. Crying that arrives at a trivial moment is generally a backlog finding the first available exit, which is why it so often happens over an advert or a kind word rather than over the actual thing.

The reason is usually just not the obvious one

Feelings that get postponed do not disappear; they wait. When something finally lowers your guard — tiredness, a piece of music, somebody being unexpectedly kind — the whole backlog can come out at once, attached to whatever happened to be in the room.

This is why it so often feels disproportionate and slightly embarrassing. The trigger genuinely is trivial. The contents are not.

Holding it in is not strength

Crying is a release mechanism, not a malfunction. People who have been coping well for a long time often cry at odd moments precisely because the coping has been expensive.

If you have been told you are too sensitive, consider that you may simply have less left in reserve than the people telling you that.

Things you could try now

• • Let it finish rather than stopping it. It usually passes faster when it is not being fought.
• • Afterwards, ask what the week has actually been like. The answer is often immediately obvious once the crying has made room for it.
• • Check the boring causes too: sleep, illness, hormonal cycles and medication changes all lower the threshold.