A joint study conducted by researchers in the US and Netherlands has found that crying offers virtually no payoffs beyond moisturizing one’s cheeks. The conclusion was reached after scientists analyzed 1,004 crying episodes logged by 97 women aged 18 to 48.
In 61 percent of the cases, the women who cried didn’t feel any change in their moods afterwards, 30 percent said they felt better and nine percent actually felt worse.
“Only a minority of crying episodes were associated with mood improvement — against conventional wisdom,” says Jonathan Rottenberg, an associate professor of psychology at the University of South Florida in Tampa, and the study’s lead author. “Crying is not nearly as beneficial as people think it is.”
So the next time someone encourages you to cry and let it all out because it’ll make you feel better, react by slapping them over their filthy mouth. You don’t need their sissy advice.
