Why Do We Cry From Emotional Pain but Not Physical Pain?

Crying is one of the most deeply human expressions. While it's common to associate tears with sadness, they are not exclusive to it. People cry from joy, grief, frustration, and even while chopping onions. But one peculiar observation has puzzled both scientists and ordinary people alike: we often cry from emotional pain, yet physical pain rarely results in tears unless it is extremely intense or prolonged. This article from betterhealthfacts.com dives deep into the neurobiology, hormonal responses, and psychological underpinnings that explain this phenomenon.

Types of Tears: More Than Just Saltwater

Human tears are not all the same. Broadly, they fall into three categories:

• Basal tears: Constantly produced to lubricate the eye and maintain vision.
• Reflex tears: Emerge in response to irritants like dust or onion vapors.
• Emotional tears: Triggered by psychological experiences such as sadness, happiness, or empathy.

It is the emotional tears that are unique to humans and carry complex biochemical signals that distinguish them from other types. Emotional crying is believed to serve both physiological and social functions.

Why Physical Pain Rarely Causes Crying

While severe physical pain can make someone cry, it's relatively uncommon. This is largely due to how our brain processes pain and crying reflexes. Physical pain activates the sensory pathways of the nervous system, mainly through the spinal cord and brainstem, whereas emotional pain activates brain regions involved in affective and cognitive processing.

The Neurological Divide

Physical pain is transmitted via nociceptors—specialized sensory neurons. These signals are relayed through the spinal cord to the brain, specifically the thalamus and then to the somatosensory cortex, which helps identify the intensity and location of pain.

On the other hand, emotional pain activates the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex—regions deeply involved in emotional regulation and memory. These areas have direct connections to the hypothalamus and brainstem nuclei that control tear production.

“Emotional crying is a uniquely human behavior and is likely governed by higher cortical centers that integrate emotional processing with autonomic responses,” says Dr. Ad Vingerhoets, a clinical psychologist and author of research on crying behavior.

The Role of Hormones in Emotional Crying

Hormonal activity plays a significant role in emotional tears, particularly hormones related to stress and bonding. Key players include:

• Cortisol: The primary stress hormone, which can modulate tear production indirectly.
• Prolactin: Higher levels of prolactin are associated with increased crying, which may explain why women tend to cry more frequently than men.
• Oxytocin: The “love hormone” linked to social bonding. Emotional crying may release oxytocin, which can foster empathy and strengthen social connections.

“Emotional tears contain higher levels of stress hormones such as ACTH and prolactin compared to reflex tears,” notes a study published in the Journal of Research in Personality.

Psychological Interpretations: Why Do Emotions Trigger Tears?

Crying from emotional pain serves multiple psychological and social functions. From an evolutionary standpoint, emotional crying is a non-verbal signal of distress that elicits support and empathy from others. Unlike physical pain, which can be localized and treated through withdrawal or healing mechanisms, emotional pain is abstract and requires social comfort for resolution.

The act of crying in emotionally painful situations may be the brain’s way of alleviating psychological stress. It acts as a form of emotional release or catharsis, helping people regain emotional balance.

Attachment Theory and Crying

According to attachment theory, crying in infancy serves to attract caregivers' attention and ensure survival. This response can carry into adulthood where crying still acts as a call for social support, especially in emotionally overwhelming situations.

“Crying helps build social bonds and is essentially a communicative tool to indicate vulnerability,” says Dr. Randolph Cornelius, a professor of psychology who has studied crying extensively.

Functional Differences: Pain as Warning vs. Emotion as Signal

Physical pain primarily serves a biological function: to protect the body by prompting withdrawal and healing. Emotional pain, however, often signals a need for social or cognitive adjustment. Crying becomes the medium through which emotional needs are communicated, particularly in scenarios where words may fail.

This difference in function may explain why the body is wired to produce tears more readily in response to emotional than physical distress.

Evolutionary Perspective: Why Emotional Tears May Have Evolved

Some scientists theorize that emotional crying evolved as a silent but visible display of distress that doesn't alert predators like vocal crying would. This non-verbal signal can indicate submission or need without risking danger.

Others propose that tears evolved as a method to strengthen group cohesion. By displaying sadness or vulnerability through crying, individuals could secure help or comfort from others, reinforcing social bonds within communities.

“Humans are the only species known to shed emotional tears, which suggests that this behavior has deep social and evolutionary roots,” says biologist Dr. William H. Frey II, a pioneer in the study of tears.

Why Do We Sometimes Cry From Extreme Physical Pain?

Although rare, crying from intense physical pain can occur when the stimulus crosses a certain threshold or is prolonged. This is more common in children, whose nervous and emotional systems are still developing. In adults, extreme physical pain might activate emotional centers in the brain, causing overlap in neurological pathways.

This crossover is more likely when physical pain triggers fear, helplessness, or trauma—emotions that activate the same brain circuits involved in crying from emotional pain.

Gender Differences in Crying Behavior

Men and women experience and express emotional pain differently, influenced by both social conditioning and biological factors. Studies consistently show that women cry more often than men, partly due to higher levels of prolactin, and partly due to greater social acceptance of emotional expression.

Men, on the other hand, are often conditioned from a young age to suppress emotional displays, which may affect how often they cry in response to emotional pain.

Cultural Influences on Emotional Crying

Cultural background plays a strong role in how and when people cry. In some cultures, emotional expression is encouraged, while in others, it is seen as a sign of weakness. These norms can influence how individuals respond to emotional pain, even at the neurological level through long-term conditioning.

Despite these differences, the underlying biological mechanisms remain consistent, reinforcing that emotional crying is a universal human trait, even if its expression varies widely.

The Therapeutic Value of Crying

There is growing evidence that crying can have therapeutic benefits. It can reduce psychological stress, lower blood pressure, and even improve mood. This is thought to occur through the release of stress-related neurochemicals, and the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system which promotes calm and recovery.

“Crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps people relax and recover from stress,” says Dr. Lauren Bylsma, a clinical psychologist who has conducted research on the effects of crying on mood.

Conclusion: An Intricate Interplay of Mind and Body

The fact that we cry more readily from emotional pain than from physical pain reveals much about human evolution, neurology, and psychology. Emotional crying appears to be a sophisticated mechanism rooted in social bonding and emotional regulation, rather than a mere side effect of distress.

While physical pain engages protective mechanisms within the body, emotional pain demands social intervention and psychological healing. Crying serves as a bridge between these internal experiences and the external world, allowing others to recognize and respond to our inner turmoil.

Understanding why we cry from emotional pain enriches our appreciation for the human experience and underscores the complexity of the brain-body connection. At betterhealthfacts.com, we believe that delving into such nuanced topics helps us gain better insight into ourselves and our health.