Can crying help men live longer?

 

In 2013, Hiroki Terai conducted a weird experiment — made a bunch of people cry. His peculiar business organized “divorce ceremonies” for couples in need of closure, and he had noticed that crying helped clients feel at peace. Terai called this phenomenon rui-katsu (“tear-seeking”). Since then, such sessions have been held throughout Tokyo. 

 

Adults come together to watch touching movies, heartwarming ads, and other tear-provoking material. Japan, one of the most stoic nations, has introduced the world to communal crying. Japanese people now weep in public for a couple of hours a month. Crying is a natural and restorative reaction, but can it make you live longer? 

 

The USA is on the opposite end of the global crying spectrum, but the gender divide is obvious. Men are more likely to rely on Delta 9 THC gummies than cry. According to a report by clinical psychologist Ad Vingerhoets, women cry 30-64 times for around 6 minutes annually, while men only do it for roughly 3 minutes 6-17 times. This discrepancy is physiological, psychological, and sociological.

 

For men, living without crying is like a badge of honor. Boys are ridiculed for crying after falling off a bike or taking a stinger to the forearm. However, men also feel hurt and pretending that this does not happen causes harm. 

 

In a time of need, letting yourself cry is healthy. By letting tears flow, you trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone responsible for pain relief. It calms us down, makes us feel more content, and boosts bonding. 

 

According to physiologist and Research Officer for British Mensa Dr. Elesa Zehndorfer, crying is a vital biological response. She notes that communal crying intensifies the positive effects, as emotions are biologically contagious.

 

Emotional tears are different from tears caused by dust or the eye's lubrication system. Tears that come in times of joy, stress, sadness, or laughter contain stress hormones. They flush out those chemicals, which explains the “I had a good cry” expression. Positive effects include:

 

 

It is easy to see why crying is likely to help you live longer. Honesty is associated with higher life expectancy. Pretending that you are okay when you are not is not healthy. If you feel too uncomfortable crying in front of strangers, do it alone. Scream into a pillow to use visual media to put yourself in an optimal situation. Crying is not a sign of weakness, it only shows that you are human! 

 

In tough times like this, crying is not only acceptable but also good for you. While the 'stiff upper lip' ethos helps men power through crisis events, do not sacrifice your well-being for the sake of toxic masculinity.