Dooley Noted: 5/12/2016
A wonderful patient of mine informed me this morning that she engages in crying as a release.
She isn’t embarrassed about it, even if it is stigmatized.
I find her to be powerful and realistic.
And, she understands how the autonomic nervous system works.
While she is learning to use breathing and correctives for stress control, she is also learning to temper her stress responses with controlled crying.
Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, a pathway related to “fight or flight” responses.
By crying, she activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the great antagonist to fight or flight responses.
Crying is a “rest or digest” response to stress, decreasing sympathetic drive that can place the body in harm.
Holding back a cry could harm my patient.
Tempering the sympathetic response to her stressors is necessary.
While she learns to have less sympathetic reactions, she does herself a great service by letting herself have a parasympathetic balance of crying.
So, if it will balance you in that moment, don’t hold back on crying.
But – don’t let it get out of control, either.
If you are in sympathetic overdrive and need to cry constantly, then get to the root of why your body spikes its fight or flight responses.
While you learn, have a good controlled cry to balance you when you need it.
Don’t let yourself gasp for air.
Have a long, controlled exhale, much like the baby cries. Babies balance themselves with crying quite frequently.
And our instinct is to temper their stressors.
Don’t forget to do this for yourself.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley
