Taking long, deep breaths can help to control hyperventilation, bring down your heart rate, increase blood flow throughout your body, and reduce stress. [2] X Research source
If you can’t do it in the moment, reflect on the thoughts you were thinking in the moment once you’ve stopped crying.
For example, you might simply write something like,“So heavy,” “Hurt, betrayed, offended. " Writing down what’s bothering you can also help you have a conversation with someone who might be hurting you. [4] X Research source
You can also try to distract yourself with music. Rock and sway to center yourself and calm your body. Singing along may help you regain control of your breathing and focus on something else. Go for a walk. The change of scenery from going for a walk can help stop those pervasive, negative thoughts. Physical activity may also help reset your breathing and heart rate.
Changing your posture may help break the crying cycle long enough to regain your composure.
Perform these relaxation techniques regularly to prevent stress from building up. [9] X Research source This helps you become aware of where you are holding tension when you’re crying hard.
Splash some cold water on your face. The coolness can distract you for a moment to gain control of your breathing. The cool water may also help some of the swelling (like puffy eyes) that happens after crying hard.
You’re more likely to feel overwhelmed and find yourself in a cycle of sad or negative thoughts during these highly emotional periods.
In this case, excessive crying may be a sign of something more serious like depression or anxiety. If you find yourself frequently crying without understanding why you feel sad, worthless, irritable, start experiencing pain, trouble eating, have trouble sleeping or have suicidal thoughts, you may have depression. [11] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Seek medical attention to learn treatment options.
For example, if listening to a certain band reminds you of your ex, take the band off of your playlists and avoid listening to the provoking music. Same goes for pictures, smells, places, etc. If you don’t want to be exposed to these upsetting reminders, it is ok to avoid them for a while.
Try to contribute to your journal or diary every day. When you feel like you’re going to cry, read what you’ve already written and remind yourself what makes you happy. [15] X Research source
Don’t forget to ask yourself, “Who is in control?” Reclaim control over your life so you have the power to change outcomes. For example, rather than say, “That teacher is terrible and made me fail that test,” admit that you didn’t study enough and that led to your poor score. Next time, focus on studying and accepting the outcome.
For example, if you keep thinking, “I’m not good enough,” you may begin to feel hopeless or insecure. [18] X Research source Learn to stop the thought process before it affects your emotional well-being.
If you find yourself crying frequently and feel you need some additional help, a professional counselor may be able help you. A counselor can develop a plan for you to regain control of your thoughts and cope with them appropriately.
You and your therapist will discuss your goals for therapy then devise a plan on how to accomplish those goals.
