Cry. Crying has a way of desensitizing you to a situation (thus the phrase "all cried out") as long as you do not add to it. You know what I mean - the emotional downward spiral (like the end of a relationship means you are going to die a lonely bag woman). Stick to the sadness at hand and let it out.

That's your call, big guy. I'll let you take the lead on this.

If you have the opportunity to go and flat out sob and you're comfortable with it (I,e, you said you had off today) - do it. I agree with pp - it doesn't have to be an either or thing. There have been times where I just needed to be by myself. I'd put on TV or an audiobook or music and kept my hands busy, but if I felt like sobbing while doing dishes, so be it (although for the record, put the dishes down if you feel you may drop them...having to clean up broken glass after a crying jag suck!)

I never found that crying lead to more crying unless I needed it. I also don't know if crying helped me keep it together in the ling run. I just know that crying at that specific point in time helped, so now I"m recommending that to you!

Sending hugs to you regardless of what you are doing.

Do both. Allow yourself some time to fall apart and then go be productive. Then let yourself fall apart again if need be.

You can even schedule it. I will give myself 15 minutes at 4pm to go get it all out. THen I'll come back and finish this project...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a sad situation going on in my life right now. I can easily break into tears and sob over it but I can also keep busy today and avoid crying. Which is better? Does crying bring on more crying or can I actually cry it out? I have a long couple of weeks ahead of me to deal with this situation and I'd like to hold it together - but today I have off and could cry all day if I let myself.

So, to cry or not to cry?

Crying can help you feel better. It can release hormones that make you feel better.

If you have a time where you can face being sad and allow yourself to cry, I'd do it. Let some of the tension out. Set a time limit--you can wallow in sadness for two hours, and then you're going to do X.

It's alright to cry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y52bs0aX6v8

Anonymous wrote:While I don't know what you're going through, I do suggest crying (if you really can) since you have more stuff coming up.

I was in a grief support "group" (counseling) after my mother died. During part of that, we had to do a timeline of loss during our lives. "Loss" was defined as anything that was a "loss" - loss of a job (either voluntarily or not), move, loss of friends, end of marriage/relationship, and loss of friend/family/pet through death.

Our counselors said that if we can't fully grieve a loss, it builds over time and is still with you for the subsequent losses.

That isn't to say you should go around a sobbing mess. Staying busy is very helpful for our emotional health. But don't ignore emotions of sadness or loss.

Brilliant advice. Not OP but thank you.

While I don't know what you're going through, I do suggest crying (if you really can) since you have more stuff coming up.

I was in a grief support "group" (counseling) after my mother died. During part of that, we had to do a timeline of loss during our lives. "Loss" was defined as anything that was a "loss" - loss of a job (either voluntarily or not), move, loss of friends, end of marriage/relationship, and loss of friend/family/pet through death.

Our counselors said that if we can't fully grieve a loss, it builds over time and is still with you for the subsequent losses.

That isn't to say you should go around a sobbing mess. Staying busy is very helpful for our emotional health. But don't ignore emotions of sadness or loss.

I find holding it together in the midst of the crisis works, then letting it all out at the end works for me

Anonymous wrote:I have a sad situation going on in my life right now. I can easily break into tears and sob over it but I can also keep busy today and avoid crying. Which is better? Does crying bring on more crying or can I actually cry it out? I have a long couple of weeks ahead of me to deal with this situation and I'd like to hold it together - but today I have off and could cry all day if I let myself.

So, to cry or not to cry?

Crying can help you feel better. It can release hormones that make you feel better.

Anonymous wrote:Can you cry something out and be done with it? Or does crying beget more crying? Good question.

BTW, I am sorry for whatever you are going through, OP.

Can you cry something out and be done with it? Or does crying beget more crying? Good question.

I find that I can almost never cry for myself. Friends and family, fictional characters, and even strangers, I can cry buckets for.

If you can be busy and take your mind off the sad thing, I'd say get busy. Crying isn't always a release.

I have a sad situation going on in my life right now. I can easily break into tears and sob over it but I can also keep busy today and avoid crying. Which is better? Does crying bring on more crying or can I actually cry it out? I have a long couple of weeks ahead of me to deal with this situation and I'd like to hold it together - but today I have off and could cry all day if I let myself.

So, to cry or not to cry?