Why Do We Cry When We’re Angry?

Everyone expresses anger differently. In many parts of the world, including the United States, society has a way of gendering emotional states, attributing some emotions different values than others. We tend to think of anger as powerful and associate it with yelling and violence while we tend to think of sadness as weak and associate it with crying. It’s no wonder that angry tears can be confusing. This is a bit different from the type of tears you shed after watching a sad movie.

If you find that you get so mad that you start crying angry tears, you're not alone in this, and it doesn't make you weak; it makes you human. We’ll explore this idea more, but let’s come to the understanding upfront that whether you’re angry or sad or happy or anything else, emotional tears are okay.

What causes tears when we’re angry? The most immediate reason for angry tears is probably that you feel hurt, embarrassed, betrayed, or unjustly treated. When people experience injustice, rejection, or humiliation, the natural response includes both anger and sadness — often simultaneously. Tearful crying is a uniquely human activity, and scientists believe it may serve an evolutionary function: a distress signal used to summon help and provoke helping behaviors in others.

Crying releases oxytocin and prolactin

Researchers have found that crying stimulates the release of oxytocin and prolactin , two chemicals that can bring your heart rate down and otherwise calm you after a stressful event.

But crying doesn’t always serve a self-comforting function.

If you cried and were comforted, your mood is likely to improve. If, on the other hand, you cried and felt ashamed or embarrassed by it, the tears probably won’t have improved your mood.

Children and women are more likely to cry than adult men

Children are more likely to cry than adults, and females are more likely to cry than males. A 2019 research review indicates that many women cry four or five times per month, whereas men may cry only once or not at all in the same period.

And while we cry because of major life events that cause us grief or profound joy, we just as often cry because of ordinary, daily frustrations and conflicts.

If women shed more angry tears than men do, it may be because in the United States and many Western cultures, women have often been socialized to display more positive emotions and internalize feelings that some perceive as negative, like anger.

What are the other physical effects of anger?

When you get mad (even if you don’t cry), here’s what happens in your body:

• Your amygdala, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland work together to produce a surge of cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones).
• Your heart rate and blood pressure amp up.
• You may feel warm or flushed.
• Your mouth may feel dry and your palms may feel damp.
• Your field of vision might narrow.
• Cortisol may cause your short-term memory to falter (that’s why you keep forgetting what you want to say in a heated conversation).

With the burst of the nervous system and hormonal activity, is it any wonder that your body produces tears?

Are there ways to control the tears when you’re angry? 

As normal as it is to respond with genuine emotion when provoked, it’s not always appropriate to cry in the midst of a conflict. Here are some steps you can take to prevent or manage the flow of tears when you feel it’s not the right time to share them.

Develop a journaling practice

People write not only to express what they’re feeling but to discover what they’re feeling. For many people, privately writing about emotionally charged events is a way to process complex emotions and regain a sense of perspective.

Regular journaling gives you a personal space to vent, review, and consider what you want or need.

Some physicians have reported that they’ve prescribed writing to help people develop a sense of control over their futures and insight into their feelings.

If you develop this habit now, when a conflict arises, you’ll be aware that you have a safe place to go that belongs entirely to you.

Practice articulating what you need

In some cultures and for some individuals, clearly and directly voicing concerns or needs is difficult, especially in professional settings.

Small group assertiveness training can help you learn more about saying yes, saying no, defining boundaries, and communicating in high-conflict situations.

Some studies in a 2012 review indicated that assertiveness training may reduce stress and increase the awareness of personal power.

Move, but slowly

If you feel your emotions rising, change your physical position as a way of grounding yourself and shifting your mindset.

Stand up. Sit down. Pick up a pen and make a note or step down the hallway if you need time to collect your thoughts. Try something as simple as clenching and releasing a muscle —  research found that it can give you a renewed sense of self-control.

As you move, try to remember to go slowly. You’re reminding yourself that just as you have power over where your limbs are in space, you have the power to calm your emotions.

You’re reminding yourself to slow the interaction so you can think beyond the impulse to fight, flee, or freeze.

Drink water

Even mild dehydration can affect your mood and your thinking ability. If you’re in an emotional situation, stop and drink a glass of cool water. a  Research  found that it can:

• lower cortisol (stress hormone)
• lower your heart rate
• increase alertness

Breathe

Intense situations, focusing on your breath can help regulate strong feelings and re-centre you.

Health professionals say concentrating on the flow of air into and out of your body can help you:

• restore alertness
• lower your body temperature
• release muscle tension
• regulate your autonomic nervous system

Should you control your tears? 

There are times when it’s counterproductive to cry (driving along a serpentine cliffside road, for example). But it’s also worth noting that crying plays an important role in emotional health.

Finding safe and appropriate places to let your feelings — and your tears — flow can be a good thing. You are the best judge of when and where you need to cry, but here’s a list of places many people find solace in releasing their emotions:

• on a solitary walk
• in a therapist’s office
• as you’re privately journaling
• with close family members and supportive friends
• with your pet
• in the shower or bath
• where you go to meditate, pray, or enjoy nature alone

When to seek help 

Crying when you’re angry doesn’t mean you’re weak, out of control, or mentally ill. It’s a logical human response to emotional stimuli.

If you cry more frequently than you’d like, or if angry tears are interfering with your ability to function normally, it may be a good idea to talk with a therapist about it.

Excessive crying may be a sign that you’re depressed or anxious, and there are many effective treatments that can restore a sense of balance in your emotional life.