Just found this quick article on MSNBC that talked about it (there are people that swing the other way and can't control their laughter, either) and thought it was worth sharing.
bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/04/14/4380063-uncontrollable-laughing-or-crying-is-no-joke?pc=25&sp=25#discussion
bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/04/14/4380063-uncontrollable-laughing-or-crying-is-no-joke?pc=25&sp=25#discussion
I know someone who cries over odd things that there is no reason to cry about. Like the other day she wanted to ride in the car with a group of us but couldn't fit in, so she just had to go in the other car. It didn't matter, we were still going to meet them at the same destination, but she just had a crying outburst which didn't make sense to me. I found out later that she has anxiety issues and her panic attacks are instantaneous crying? It's really weird.
I'm 60 and have had this problem since I was a little kid. Crying mainly when I am fatigued, stressed, frustrated and angry, inappropriately i the worst places, like the judge's chambers or even in open court. I'm a successful professional despite this but I find it 1)humiliating and 2)counter productive. I'd love to find a way to stop it in its tracks but as soon as I feel it in my throat, my eyes well up and I am no longer in control. Hormones, probably, I don't know any men who experience this, only women. Any suggestions for ways to control in the midst of an outburst would be appreciated. Thanks for the forum. :$
Here's a clinical name for it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudobulbar_affect
I just took a look at that link, and altho very helpful, it scares the bejeezus out of me. I, too, have MS. I was diagnosed at age 21. I am now 33. I take more medications than most 90 year-olds, I have to use a cane, stairs and I do not get along at all, and my parents and brothers have to do so much for me. I have always been a natural crier, and often got picked on by friends in high school because I would cry at Disney movies (I think I have cried half the water in Lion King). And yet my neuro still swears I have Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS). The mentioned article states that PBA occurs at the end-stage MS....wonderful. Something else to ask my neuro about.
The only good thing about all the other fun symptoms I have, when I have a crying spell, I can blame it on nerve pain or muscle spasms. Thats saved me...well, several times a day, every day, for at least a year. At least with something to blame it on, it makes it easier to pull off in a crowd, or at work. Not that I'm suggesting everyone find an out.
I will say that it is annoying when things that shouldnt be sad (watching the Westmisnster Dog show, for instance) make me cry like a waterfountain. I have tought myself to not make any sounds, or at least minimal sounds, when it happens so as not to draw unwanted attention. I just wish I knew how to make it stop. It's not like I'm not dealing with enough already, do I really need to add more on top of everything?
The only good thing about all the other fun symptoms I have, when I have a crying spell, I can blame it on nerve pain or muscle spasms. Thats saved me...well, several times a day, every day, for at least a year. At least with something to blame it on, it makes it easier to pull off in a crowd, or at work. Not that I'm suggesting everyone find an out.
I will say that it is annoying when things that shouldnt be sad (watching the Westmisnster Dog show, for instance) make me cry like a waterfountain. I have tought myself to not make any sounds, or at least minimal sounds, when it happens so as not to draw unwanted attention. I just wish I knew how to make it stop. It's not like I'm not dealing with enough already, do I really need to add more on top of everything?
I never knew so many people had this sort of "problem" my entire life was mostly had to do with random crying like for example just when my mother is telling me something like a lecture about something or demand, I start to get tears in my eyes and I try very hard to pull them back but it never works. I think I usually cry randomly when I am told something I don't like to do ..like cleaning my room :-P and I definantly cry easily when im yelled at. Thats the biggest problem there.. whenever im told to do something (in the form of yelling or lecture-like demanding) I always get tears in my eyes and my parents hate that and they start yelling even more than before which at this point breaks me down to crying entirely. I would like to get rid of this problem because its embarrassing and a shameful trait to have. at least thats what i think. No one should cry unless its something serious or sad (like a funeral) not something simple like being yelled at or told to do something that you dont want to do.. just today my whole day was ruined because I cried over my agrument with my mom about messaging vs calling someone. So i feel better that im not the ONLY person in the entire world with this weird trait,habit whatever it is.
I have weird crying spells where I get overwhelmed and hyperventilate then I go in to crying spells that last 5-10 minutes, I have only had this happen a few times but it is very draining and unpleasant. These stressors come from big changes in my life, or unexpected change. I am very emotional and the last spell happened after a school assignment where i was embarrased and put down in front of the class. I just hate that something like that can happen in a community where I am suppose to feel safe and want to learn.
Please everyone here...check out PBA on your search engine. This is a medical condition that is only now being recognized and there IS a treatment for it. If the symptoms apply to you, ask your doctor to check this out for you. The new drug is called Nuedexta. It really controls uncontrollable laughter and crying!! GLTA
I've also had this problem my whole life. As well, I am prone to anxiety and at times mild depression. The uncontrollable crying however doesn't really correspond to how sad I feel so I can get really upset and cry in a situation where I'm not even that sad. Certain situations will just trigger it. Like if a teacher or my manager calls me on something or if a co-worker is upset with me. Because I'm crying, I can't explain myself or discuss the situation normally. And even worse, if I am displeased with a co-worker or my manager and confront them, instead of getting angry like most people do, I"LL start crying! As a result, I don't usually confront anyone about anything because I'm afraid I might get upset and start crying and not be able to stop. Obviously, that has really crippled me in my career. It's really frustrating because otherwise I'm a very competent person and very good at what I do (as long as it doesn't involve any confrontation).
Then when I was 39 years old I went on an antidepressant (Prozac). And I stopped crying... For 6 years. This allowed me to do a lot of things I never would have been able to do before. It was really interesting to see the difference especially in the way people respect you so much more when you don't show any emotion. I became very successful in my career and my social life improved in a big way. Then after about 5 years I started to feel numb. I didn't have the same motivation and energy level as before. So after about a year like that I went off of it. Within a month my uncontrollable crying started again. The strangest thing about it for me was being able to experience the difference. It's almost like being two different people. When Prozac was working for me, I realized for the first time how everybody else must feel. And the worst thing? Now, being back to square one.
I am glad to see that I'm not the only one with this problem... but is anyone else here a guy... my mom said she had the same problem growing up... so could this be hereditary... if someone has an answer i could use it, cause a 17 year old boy crying isn't exactly socially acceptable.
I was sobbing my eyes out when I googled "uncontrollable crying" and half laughing, half sobbing as I read all the posts from other people saying "so glad to see I am not the only one" etc, etc.
I am 28 and have cried a lot during my life, but I always thought there was a good reason for it - some hurtful or painful situation, for example.
But recently every time I cried I looked for or found explanations - tried to make some connection between something about my relationship that could be affecting me, or tried to connect my childhood or family tragedies to it.. But to be honest, I started to think lately that I may just be emotionally or mentally unstable, or have some kind of hormonal inbalance.
Yesterday and today I have not been able to stop crying even though there is really no obvious reason for it. And the worst thing is how much pain I feel when I am crying. I really feel like I am going to fall apart and my stomach hurts and my throat... It's awful. It is really a problem because I am crying at work, and couldn't stop crying all the way home on the bus and walking to my house. This also usually shocks or disturbs my boyfriend because he just doesn't understand what is wrong with me. Even if we are having a kind of argument - he usually stays calm and cool, while I sob as if he had died in front of me. It's really embarrassing, and I think both the fear of crying makes the impulse greater, and every time I try to speak, I sob; so it is kind of debilitating too.
It is nice to see that other people have this kind of problem but it still doesn't give me much idea of what practically to do about it. I am on the pill, but not sure if this has made it worse. It seems like I have been crying more since I started taking it 6 months ago, but this was also the period in which I fell deeply in love and I think my relationship makes me much more emotional in general; either crying because of an argument or fear of losing his love or even crying because we are so happy and our love is so beautiful..(!) All of this seems ridiculous to me (in my "rational brain") because I am usually a very analytical / logical person. And looking at my emotional reactions to situations which seem to impose themselves on me - despite often being contrary to my actual opinion of the situation - I just think "this is not how I believe I should react.. I don't think I have reason to be sad about this" - but then I still feel terrible and cry my eyes out. The last couple of days I really started to panic and worry that it is more serious, like maybe I am having a nervous breakdown / a personal crisis / developing depression.. (!) I don't know. But I guess anyway, lots of people are crying their eyes out too.
Thanks for sharing your stories.. It does console me to know that..
I am 28 and have cried a lot during my life, but I always thought there was a good reason for it - some hurtful or painful situation, for example.
But recently every time I cried I looked for or found explanations - tried to make some connection between something about my relationship that could be affecting me, or tried to connect my childhood or family tragedies to it.. But to be honest, I started to think lately that I may just be emotionally or mentally unstable, or have some kind of hormonal inbalance.
Yesterday and today I have not been able to stop crying even though there is really no obvious reason for it. And the worst thing is how much pain I feel when I am crying. I really feel like I am going to fall apart and my stomach hurts and my throat... It's awful. It is really a problem because I am crying at work, and couldn't stop crying all the way home on the bus and walking to my house. This also usually shocks or disturbs my boyfriend because he just doesn't understand what is wrong with me. Even if we are having a kind of argument - he usually stays calm and cool, while I sob as if he had died in front of me. It's really embarrassing, and I think both the fear of crying makes the impulse greater, and every time I try to speak, I sob; so it is kind of debilitating too.
It is nice to see that other people have this kind of problem but it still doesn't give me much idea of what practically to do about it. I am on the pill, but not sure if this has made it worse. It seems like I have been crying more since I started taking it 6 months ago, but this was also the period in which I fell deeply in love and I think my relationship makes me much more emotional in general; either crying because of an argument or fear of losing his love or even crying because we are so happy and our love is so beautiful..(!) All of this seems ridiculous to me (in my "rational brain") because I am usually a very analytical / logical person. And looking at my emotional reactions to situations which seem to impose themselves on me - despite often being contrary to my actual opinion of the situation - I just think "this is not how I believe I should react.. I don't think I have reason to be sad about this" - but then I still feel terrible and cry my eyes out. The last couple of days I really started to panic and worry that it is more serious, like maybe I am having a nervous breakdown / a personal crisis / developing depression.. (!) I don't know. But I guess anyway, lots of people are crying their eyes out too.
Thanks for sharing your stories.. It does console me to know that..
Some people find evening primrose oil helps.
It is very likely either PMS or PMDD . You really should talk to a doctor about it if it is really bothering you.
I am an older (58) male. I am interested to find out if there are other men that have this problem of teariness. I am having a very difficult time of it and it seems to be getting worse as time goes by.
I am seeing a psychiatrist and am trying some drug combinations to help with Bipolar disorder as well but so far nothing has helped and it seems to get worse with time. I have a hard time watching ANY movie because I can get emotional over anything.
It is driving me crazy.
Hi, I'm 15 years old and I have the same problem and always stat crying at silly things. It doesn't help that when I'm crying I think about how stupid I must look. The problem isn't self estem because I have become more confident over the past two year and the problem has just gotten worse. I often find that I feel completly drained of energy after and always get a slight temprater even if i was perfectaly fine before. I have tryed medican but that has really not helpt. If anyone has any surgestions about othe medican ( I took vitamin B complex ) could you please tell me because it is efecting my life and exams. The worst part is that you can't tell anyone whats wrong with you because you don't know yourself.