Why Am I Crying For No Reason? Exploring The Mental Health Condition
- For those experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988
- For those experiencing abuse, please contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- For those experiencing substance use, please contact SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
Exploring “Why am I crying for no reason?” as a mental health condition
If you burst into tears seemingly out of nowhere, you may feel confused or even worried—especially if you don’t want to cry at that moment or aren’t feeling the level of emotion that would normally cause tears. Whether it’s a one-time occurrence or something you’ve started to notice happening regularly, there are various possible explanations for what might be going on. Read on to learn more about why you might be crying for no reason.
Why do I cry for no reason? (Depression, PMS, Physical stimuli, and Pseudobulbar affect)
Crying is a natural human response to certain strong emotions. However, if you find that you can't stop crying or are crying more often than usual, you might explore the following potential causes for these tears. Meeting with a doctor and a mental health professional may also be helpful in getting to the bottom of this response.
Depression
Depression is one possible cause of tears that seem to come from nowhere. People who live with mental health conditions like depression can have feelings of sadness that persist for days, weeks, months, or years, particularly if the condition is left untreated. Depression may cause bursts of sadness and a frequent feeling that you need to cry. Some other potential symptoms of depression can include:
- Feeling down, low, or hopeless
- Changes in sleep schedule or ability to sleep
- Irritability
- Changes in appetite
- Trouble focusing
- Social withdrawal
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
If you have persistent feelings of sadness, despair, anger, fatigue, and/or imagined scenarios of self-harm, seek help from a registered medical provider like a primary care physician or psychologist as soon as possible. Depression is treatable with professional support.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Some people who menstruate experience an increase in crying and other markers of stress before their menstrual period due to rapidly fluctuating hormones and other factors. These symptoms may be particularly severe for those living with diagnosed or undiagnosed premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). If you're able to track your cycle, it may be helpful as a tool for anticipating symptoms of PMS and how they might affect you. Seeking support from a doctor is also recommended if you suspect you may have PMDD.
In addition, those who are or have recently been pregnant or adopted a child should look out for mental health symptoms of perinatal depression, which can impact pregnant individuals, non-birthing parents, and adoptive parents of any gender.
Physical stimuli
If you find yourself crying for no reason one time, or if what you're noticing is more like watery, runny eyes than streaming tears, it could be that your eyes are dry. This dryness could be due to the time of year, the weather, or dirt or another irritant in the eye. When your eyes are dry, they might create more tears to combat the dryness, which is sometimes called reflex crying. If you suspect there may be a physical cause of your crying, you might meet with a doctor or an eye doctor.
Pseudobulbar affect
Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) may cause frequent bouts of laughing or crying that seem to come out of nowhere. It can impact those who live with neurological disorders that affect the brain, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, or Alzheimer's disease. It can also impact those who have had a stroke or live with other health conditions, like Parkinson's disease.
With PBA, the crying does not align with your emotions, and you may be unable to control your facial muscles. If you experience crying spells that don't align with your feelings, it may be something to investigate with a medical provider to find out whether there might be any neurological conditions or other underlying causes impacting you.
“Why am I crying for no reason?”: Overwhelm/burnout
Are you encountering significant stress or feelings of anxiety? If so, this could relate to the crying episodes you face. Research suggests that crying is healthy and can be a therapeutic response to stress. Still, it may be beneficial to identify the sources of your stress and lessen or eliminate them if possible.
Since not all stressors can be eliminated, it can also be helpful to learn healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercise, mindfulness, art, and/or therapy. Individual therapy in particular can be useful for addressing various health conditions and emotional challenges, including depression, guilt, shame, mood swings, anxiety, bipolar disorder, uncertainty in daily life, grief, and many other concerns. If complicated relationships within your family cause your stress, you might try family therapy. Relationship or couples therapy may also be worthwhile if you are facing challenges with a romantic partner.
How to cope with unexpected crying responses
How to cope with bouts of unexpected crying can depend on the cause. If it’s physical, such as dry eyes or an irritant, meeting with a doctor or ophthalmologist or getting some over-the-counter eye drops may help. Meeting with a doctor can also be helpful if you suspect you may have PBA or another medical cause of frequent crying.
Seek professional help for depression, anxiety, and other health conditions
For signs of depression, it’s usually recommended that you meet with a mental health care provider like a therapist. They can provide an evaluation and a diagnosis (if applicable) and can suggest treatment options as needed. Depression typically won’t resolve on its own without treatment and symptoms may actually worsen, so seeking help can be crucial for well-being.
Coping mechanisms for your mental health condition
A therapist may also be able to help you learn to manage stress, overwhelm, burnout, and PMS symptoms. In addition, it may be useful to build some healthy habits and coping mechanisms so you can manage your emotions in a more effective and positive way. Some examples include:
- Meditation
- Breathing exercises
- Regular physical exercise
- Getting enough sleep
- Staying hydrated
- Eating nutrient-dense foods as often as possible
- Spending time with friends regularly
- Journaling
- Meeting with a therapist
Receiving support from a therapist for depression, anxiety, and more
If you need someone to talk to about stress, depression, anxiety, unexplained crying, or another concern, reaching out to a counselor or therapist may help. That said, not everyone has providers in their area or is able to regularly travel to and from in-person appointments. In situations like these, many people turn to online therapy as an alternative.
With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist who you can meet with via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging to address the challenges you may be facing—all from home or anywhere you have an internet connection. Research suggests that online therapy may offer “comparable outcomes” to in-person therapy in many cases.
Takeaway
Crying for no apparent reason can be confusing and even alarming. Some possible causes include dry eyes, pseudobulbar affect, premenstrual syndrome, depression, or stress, among others. Developing healthy habits and coping strategies like journaling, meditation, and regular exercise may help in some cases. In others, meeting with a doctor and/or a therapist may be necessary in order to identify and address any underlying causes.
What does it mean when you cry for no reason?
Unexplained crying or frequent crying spells may be a symptom of an underlying mental health issue or chronic illness. It could also be a sign of intense stress, persistent sadness, or changes in someone’s emotional state that may not be fully understood. There are times when a person may experience sadness along with sudden tears without an apparent reason, which may be linked to some factors, such as hormonal imbalances, prolonged grief, or even mood disorders. These emotional responses may interfere with a person’s daily life and lead to possible confusion, especially when there is no clear explanation or underlying reason.
For individuals who are experiencing depression and can’t stop crying, it may be helpful to seek professional help and guidance from a mental health professional to understand any underlying issues.
Why am I crying for no reason when I never cry?
People cry in response to a variety of triggers, and a sudden onset of random crying could be due to a buildup of stress or other emotions. If it is a new experience, seeking mental health support to figure out the root cause may be helpful.
Is crying a symptom of anything?
Yes, crying can be a symptom of an anxiety disorder, certain neurological conditions, or depression. Additionally, experiencing physical ailments like heart disease can cause strong emotions. Both emotional and physical conditions can manifest through symptoms like uncontrollable crying.
Why am I suddenly very emotional?
Extreme amounts of stress, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), or a sudden change in your life circumstances can cause you to be suddenly very emotional. Hormonal changes could also be a contributing factor, especially if you are experiencing problems or difficulty coping with emotional issues. There are cases where emotional response might be tied to a perceived sense of impending danger or threat. It might be helpful to read some literature on the topic to gain more insight. Often, a psychology or neuroscience article explores various underlying causes regarding the emotions and feelings of a person.
What is anxiety crying?
Anxiety crying is a specific type of crying, usually triggered by an anxiety disorder. It can be a form of self-soothing to cope with overwhelming feelings of worry or fear. In some cases, it may happen without an apparent reason, making it difficult for a person to understand their emotions and feelings. Anxiety crying may also be a part of a person’s emotional outburst or changes in someone’s emotional state. Most people want an explanation for these feelings. Some may suspect that what they are experiencing may be linked to underlying issues like hormonal changes in the body, persistent low mood and energy, or other physical and emotional stressors that affect a person’s daily life. Help from a support group or mental health professionals may lead to proper guidance and help you become aware of your emotions.
What are the side effects of crying too much?
Crying too much can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches or even intensify the feelings of sadness caused by the initial trigger. It may also come with other symptoms like fatigue or eye strain. Chronic crying can also be draining and may contribute to feelings of hopelessness or increased difficulty managing daily tasks, leading to decreased productivity. In some cases, a person might cry more often during emotionally heightened states, such as pregnancy or perceived impending danger, which is normal.
How do I stop being so emotional?
To stop crying and better control strong emotions, consider techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, or creative writing to process your feelings. For most people, becoming emotional may be a result of many different causes, such as stress, anxious thoughts, difficulty in life, or even hormonal changes like a menstrual cycle. Other symptoms may include feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
Why do I cry when I talk to someone?
Crying when talking to someone can be just a normal way of expressing emotions and vulnerability. People cry for many varied and common reasons, and sometimes, it helps release built-up tension or lift emotional weight. But if the crying becomes uncontrollable and frequent, it can be a sign of an underlying reason or medical condition. A person may show emotions through crying, especially when talking about grief, or perhaps that person is in a bad mood. It could also be physical factors, such as pregnancy, a menstrual cycle, or a gastrointestinal problem, that affect their mood. Recognizing these possible causes may lead to a better understanding of yourself and the emotions of a person in general.
Neurological conditions like Pseudobulbar Affect
Crying when talking to someone could represent intense emotions appearing at that moment. In some cases, inappropriate laughing and uncontrollable crying in response to a situation that doesn’t warrant it could indicate a neurological condition like the Pseudobulbar Affect.
What triggers crying?
Sometimes, there is a clear reason for crying, like loss, disappointment, or even happiness, but other forms of emotional or physical discomfort can also initiate it. For most people, crying is a natural way to respond to worry, stress, or a general sense of emotional overwhelm. It may be confusing for some if they can’t pinpoint an apparent reason or apparent cause for why they are crying so hard.
Crying can also be triggered by some changes in the body, such as pregnancy and the menstrual cycle, and may come along with other symptoms like stress, fatigue, and mood swings.
What do you call a person who cries easily?
A person who cries easily is often described as “emotionally sensitive” or may be experiencing a heightened state of emotional responsiveness. In some cases, this could be a symptom of an underlying condition that requires attention.
- Previous Article
- Next Article