When you just want to cry

SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA

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SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Also visit the online treatment locator.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.

The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.

In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.

No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.

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Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, "It's not your fault!" and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.

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For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.

Last Updated: 08/30/2022

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The Locator is authorized by the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255, Section 9006; 42 U.S.C. 290bb-36d). SAMHSA endeavors to keep the Locator current. All information in the Locator is updated annually from facility responses to SAMHSA’s National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS). New facilities that have completed an abbreviated survey and met all the qualifications are added monthly. Updates to facility names, addresses, telephone numbers, and services are made weekly for facilities informing SAMHSA of changes. Facilities may request additions or changes to their information by sending an e-mail to [email protected], by calling the BHSIS Project Office at 1-833-888-1553 (Mon-Fri 8-6 ET), or by electronic form submission using the Locator online application form (intended for additions of new facilities).

Why you constantly want to cry for no reason Sometimes this is a sign of illness.

What is crying

In the corners of the eyes are small glands that produce a clear liquid with dissolved proteins and salts, necessary for nourishing, moisturizing and cleansing the cornea. These are tears, they are reflexively released under the influence of signals from the autonomic nervous system. But sometimes emotions get in the way.

Humans are the only ^{The neurobiology of human crying creatures on earth that are capable of crying under the influence of feelings. Tears can come from a touching movie, music, important life events, or out of sympathy. Crying causes both positive and negative emotions.}

Scientists are still investigating ^{The neurobiology of human crying the mental and neural processes that underlie emotional tears. It is believed that crying is associated with temperament and upbringing, personality traits and gender, as well as the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin and brain hormones: oxytocin, vasopressin and prolactin. These substances are involved in the formation of attachment and social behavior. Therefore, separation, the loss of a loved one leads to sadness and tears.}

Also, scientists have found that women cry more often than men. This is associated with the action of ^{The neurobiology of human crying testosterone, which inhibits emotional reactions.}

Why you always want to cry

Children cry often and are not shy, this is their way to attract attention, demand a coveted toy or influence the decision of their parents. Adults rarely allow themselves to cry in the presence of other people, but sometimes pain, resentment, empathy are expressed in this way ^{Sympathy Crying: Insights from Infrared Thermal Imaging on a Female Sample, fatigue, stress, or vice versa, joy.}

If crying does not appear daily and for nothing, you can ignore it. But imagine a situation where tears are shed due to a broken nail, a small remark from an outsider, or for no apparent reason at all. Perhaps the problem is a lack of vitamin ^{Vitamin B‑12 and depression: Are they related? B12, fatigue. But sometimes a constant desire to cry is the influence of various pathological factors that are difficult to eliminate without a doctor.}

Psychological factors

Instability of the nervous system appears in people who are in a state of nervous tension for a long time. At the same time, the hormones adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol are released, which deplete the body. Crying helps ^{Sympathy Crying: Insights from Infrared Thermal Imaging on a Female Sample to reduce the release of these substances and reduce the impact of stress on the psyche.}

Sometimes the desire to constantly cry arises due to a violation of ^{Medical psychology of adaptation to the action of various factors. For example, psychological pressure at work, lack of money or a large number of duties to loved ones exhaust the nervous system, irritation and fatigue accumulate. Therefore, for any little reason, tears appear. Such a disorder can last up to 2-3 months and does not always go away without the help of a psychologist.}

Psychiatric disorders

A constant desire to cry is associated with mental disorders. Often they have erased symptoms, so it is impossible to make a diagnosis without consulting a psychiatrist. After examination, the doctor can find one of the following diseases:

Depression ^{Depression (major depressive disorder). Patients are in an emotionally depressed state, but sadness and tearfulness can be replaced by aggression, irritability. A person loses all interest in life, favorite hobbies, his mental activity slows down, memory decreases. In severe cases, thoughts of suicide or attempts to carry it out appear.}

Post-traumatic stress disorder. The condition occurs ^{Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a traumatic event, but usually not immediately, but after a few weeks. A person is tormented by nightmares, unpleasant memories, sometimes thoughts about their own worthlessness, a sense of doom appear. Positive emotions fade. Sometimes this disorder can also lead to suicide.}
Panic attacks and panic disorder. This is a mental illness in which a sudden attack of fear appears, a person loses control over his behavior, feels a loud beating of the heart, feels shortness of breath, trembling, and abdominal cramps. Many of them start crying.
Dementia ^{Dementia. The disease often occurs in old age and leads to a decrease in memory, attention, thinking. A person's emotions are erased, but there is a desire to constantly cry.}

Changes in internal organs

Frequent urge to shed tears may be due to hormonal changes or disease and may be accompanied by additional symptoms. For example, in women, tearfulness is associated with premenstrual ^{Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) syndrome, menopause ^{Climacteric syndrome: the current state of the issue or pregnancy ^{Psycho-emotional disorders during pregnancy. The need for their correction. These conditions are accompanied by fluctuations in the level of sex hormones, so they can lead to emotional instability.}}}

Doctors believe that constant crying also causes endocrine diseases. For example, in hyperthyroidism ^{Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), Addison’s disease ^{Addison’s disease, diabetes mellitus ^{Depression and diabetes as comorbid diseases, there is a tendency to depression and mood swings.}}}

But more often tears without a reason provoke brain pathologies. Sometimes a person has uncontrollable crying, which can be replaced by laughter. This is one of the signs of pseudobulbar ^{Pseudobulbar affect affect. Some consider it a mental disorder, but in fact it is caused by diseases of the brain:}

stroke;
multiple sclerosis;
consequences of head trauma;
Alzheimer's disease;
Parkinson's disease.

How to stop crying for no reason

Some try to cope with bad emotions on their own, try to suppress crying or distract themselves from provoking factors. You can practice breathing exercises or try a relaxation technique.

If tears continue to appear in the eyes for no reason, a therapist should be consulted. He will prescribe an examination, if necessary, send him to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.

Treatment will depend on the cause of the crying. ^{Cognitive behavioral therapy helps with psychological problems, which teaches you to change your thinking and perceive negative situations correctly.}

If your crying is due to hormonal, mental or neurological problems, your doctor may prescribe medication.

Why do we feel like crying? | PSYCHOLOGIES

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Why do we cry

At first glance, the answer is obvious - because we are happy or, on the contrary, unhappy. But everything is more difficult. Crying is a natural emotional response to feelings, most commonly sadness and pain. “People often cry for other reasons as well,” notes psychologist Steven Sideroff. For example, when they see something beautiful. The person seems to thaw: he ceases to defend himself and is relieved. There is a restoration of energy with the help of feelings. But this is just one of the reasons why we want to cry.

Crying can be a survival mechanism, notes neuropsychologist Jody Delucia: “When we feel like crying, it indicates an important need.” For example, this may mean that we are missing something or there is too much of something. Or we're just trying to get attention - researchers call this the "secondary benefit" of crying.

Crying has a biochemical purpose. “It helps flush out stress hormones and toxins from the body,” explains Lauren Bylsma, a researcher at the University of South Florida in Tampa (USA). Crying also has a social function: it is easier for a crying person to get the support of others. So tears become a means of manipulation - for example, with their help it is easier to get a partner to agree to a vacation or to encourage children to finally improve their math grades.

If you can't cry

Sometimes tears are too inopportune. Accompanying a loved one to medical procedures, we try to encourage him by our own example. And when our boss says we've been denied a promotion, we try to keep our dignity. In addition, tears always indicate vulnerability. “This vulnerability increases the level of intimacy in relationships with others,” says Steven Sideroff. Sometimes the undesirable increase in intimacy with the environment itself makes us feel uncomfortable.

What to do with coming tears when you want to cry? Lauren Bylsma advises:

1. Try to save tears for later, but not forever. Suppression of emotions is not good for us, so do not forbid yourself to be weak and do not convince yourself that it is not right to cry.

2. Try to distract yourself. How exactly depends on your character and circumstances. You can watch a funny video, and in line to the doctor - find a magazine and immerse yourself in reading.

3. If you really want to cry, don't resist. Excuse yourself, go out, find a suitable place and cry there.

How to calm a crying person?

Lauren Bylsma and Steven Sideroff give four clues:

1. If nothing is done, it can make a person cry even more.

2. Try to be supportive. Which one depends on the situation and how closely you know the person crying. Sometimes it is more appropriate to listen carefully and tactfully than to impose hugs.

3. Ask crying people how you can help them. Do not think that you already know why they cry and what they need.

4. Someone who bursts into tears in front of many people usually feels more embarrassed than someone who cries in the company of one or two people they know. But at the same time, crying among a large group will willingly accept support even from strangers.

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