Centuries ago men and even oftentimes women were taught not to cry. It was viewed as a sign of undesirable vulnerability and weakness. They were taught to suck it up, hold it back and move on. In fact, many years ago, this may have been beneficial to humans.

That was a long time ago though. Times were definitely rougher and tougher and things have definitely changed now.

In today’s world, crying is more acceptable, especially for women, but still, it can have some stigma attached to it and people who cry, especially adults, are sometimes viewed as weak.

To add, movies, music, and video games have contributed to de-sensitizing us—stripping us of our basic human emotions. Nonetheless, people’s need to show their emotion is still important and relevant. Somehow we need to release the emotion of sadness, and crying is the best way to express it.

Living life with a constant constraint to your soul disrupts its spiritual development. Crying is the better way to release all the sadness from your body and free your soul. In reality, people who cry are actually strong and emotionally healthy.

Here are 6 reasons why people who cry are the strong ones.

1. Crying means you know yourself well.

A person who is able to cry typically knows themselves well. They are in touch with their strengths and their weaknesses. They know how their mind works and are in tune. Not only that, but they let it be known through their tears.

We know that burying your emotions is unhealthy. Being able to express your emotions, on the other hand, is helpful in really getting in touch with who you are. There is a great amount of reflection that can come about from crying. This reflection is helpful in understanding yourself.

2. People who cry are usually more empathic.

People who cry are typically empathic people. Being empathic means they are in touch with how others feel. See 14 Signs You’re Highly Empathic. This is often very true for people who cry.

Understanding emotions – yourself and those of others – is a highly important tool that contributes to having happy, healthy relationships. People who cry freely, without fear, tend to be better at understanding others.

They are typically able to recognize his/her partner’s emotions, sensing what he/she is feeling. This ability to recognize or understand emotions allows for a deeper bond and paves the way to more meaningful relationships.

3. Crying means you are brave.

Most people don’t want to seen as weak by others and wear an emotional mask before coming out of their rooms or leaving their house. For most people, openly crying also seems embarrassing.

Crying, however, especially in front of other people takes strength and courage. Only someone strong can let their guard down without fear of being judged. A person who is able let his/her emotion flow is free.

4. People who cry take things head on.

Bottling up your hurts only lead to a life full of sorrow and people who cry, those who are emotionally healthy, understand and accept this cycle so they don’t hold back their tears or emotions. They face them and they do this in life too! Ignoring your pain or problems only makes them worse. People who cry take things on head on and deal with them.

5. Crying leads to physical and emotional health.

Living in a constant state of emotional tension where you are holding back how you truly feel is detrimental to your health in a huge way. It is painful and a major stressor on the body. Crying, on the other hand, allows a person to release uncomfortable emotions. It is a stress reliever.

Likewise, when you cry, your body naturally releases toxins. Likewise, the body flows with endorphins upon crying and endorphins help you to feel better, stronger, calmer and more powerful.

Research has shown crying to lower both cholesterol as well as lower anxiety levels. Only people who are brave enough to let go of their emotions can reap these amazing health benefits.

6. People who allow themselves to cry are happier.

In life, unfortunate events or unhappy circumstances arise. It’s normal to encounter a death of a loved one, undergo a breakup, or have a falling out with one of your family members.

These instances are extremely difficult to deal with, and while some people think that being able to hold the pain in makes you a “tough guy,” it is actually counterproductive. Not dealing with your emotional pain head on only accumulates it and intensifies it over time leading to unhappiness in general.

Unlike a broken bone, your heart, once broken, cannot heal itself on its own. Crying, on the other hand, helps purge the sadness or negative emotion aside, releasing it from your body so more happiness can grow.

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You can express happiness through a smile, so why hide your sadness? Why hold back the tears? Some people may view others who cry as weak, but people who cry are actually very far from it.