Dear can't stop crying,

I am a 22-year-old female who also has times when I can't stop crying; a lot are related to conflict. I find that rehearsing beforehand what I want to say to the person I'm having problems with is really helpful. It also helps to feel good about yourself and to kind of coach yourself: I tell myself that I am a good person who deserves to be able to express my opinions in a respectful way.

I pretend it's a game; if I lose my cool or cry, I lose.

I tell myself that I won't let myself feel bad, no matter how ugly or disrespectful the other person is, I will not drop to their level or give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

Well, this sometimes works, though sometimes I only manage to get through the situation and then go home and cry in private. It's nice to know that other people struggle with this, also. Hope some of this helped.

Weepy

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(2)
Dear Alice,

I am a 26-year-old female who has had the same problem of crying too easily. One trick that might help you survive a tough moment is to picture something hilariously funny in your mind (a scene or speech from your favourite comedy, for example). I've found that this can stop tears in their tracks. You might even crack a smile, which will let the other person know how well you can keep your cool!

Crying is healthy and means that you are in touch with your feelings. I agree that a good cry in a private place is needed every once in a while. You may wish to delay showing your true emotions, but do let them out once the crisis has passed.

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(3)

Alice,

I completely understand where this person is coming from. I am a real cry baby, and it is so hard to stop because I am so emotional. I agree with the trick of picturing something funny — it has worked for me before. Personally, the rehearsing trick just didn't do it for me. The tears would still flood on out.

I am so glad I am not the only crier out there.

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(4)
I also seem to cry easily, especially in conflict situations. The techniques suggested already have worked on some occasions, I still feel like I might cry but don't always actually cry now. The other thing that I read somewhere was to run cold water over your wrists when you feel like you might lose it and cry. This really works for me when it's possible to excuse myself from the situation. I'm not sure why it works exactly but it seems to. Maybe it takes your emotions away from the situation a bit and gives you a chance to collect your thoughts? I also had read to splash cold water on your face but found that it makes me "look blotchy" which I didn't find helped. Hope this helps.