Uncontrollable Crying: Potential Causes & How to Stop

2. Anxiety

Anxiety can lead to uncontrollable crying as a result of the intense emotional and physical responses it triggers. When anxiety levels rise, your body experiences a surge of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can overwhelm the nervous system. As the anxiety builds, your emotions can feel too intense to manage, and crying becomes a natural release for all that built-up tension. It’s not always tied to a specific reason—sometimes, it’s just your body’s way of dealing with the emotional overload.¹

If you are experiencing panic attacks, the crying can be even more intense. During a panic attack, your body reacts as if there’s a serious danger, even when there isn’t. The physical symptoms—like a pounding heart, shortness of breath, and that overwhelming sense of fear—can be so powerful that it’s hard to keep your emotions in check. In these moments, crying is often your body’s response to the extreme fear and stress you’re experiencing all at once.

Aside from uncontrollable crying, other signs of anxiety include:

• Increased physiological activation, like faster heart rate, shallow breathing, muscle tension and fatigue, and digestion issues
• Racing, hard-to-control thoughts
• Fidgeting and physical restlessness
• Catastrophic thoughts about self, others, or the world as a whole
• Irritability
• Sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep

3. Burnout

Burnout can trigger uncontrollable crying because it exhausts your emotional resilience. The relentless stress, procrastination, and negative self-talk contribute to an accumulation of unprocessed emotions. When you’re overwhelmed, even small triggers—or no trigger at all—can cause an outpouring of these pent-up emotions, resulting in uncontrollable crying.

4. Grief

Grief is a powerful emotional experience that disrupts your normal emotional state. The pain of loss can come in waves, overwhelming you with sadness, longing, and anger. These intense emotions can be difficult to process, leading to uncontrollable crying spells. Without proper ways to cope with grief and loss, it can feel like you’ve lost all control over your life, including your ability to stop crying spells.

5. Hormone Changes

Hormones play a major role in your ability to manage your emotional distress. Any changes in hormones related to emotional and psychological health, like serotonin, dopamine, and cortisol, can result in unexpected and unexplained reactions, including uncontrollable crying. Experiencing hormonal changes due to various biological or external causes, such as menopause, postpartum depression, or drug withdrawal, can be clear triggers of emotional distress.

6. Loneliness

Loneliness can sometimes make you cry uncontrollably because it strikes at our basic need for connection with others. When you’re feeling isolated, those feelings of emptiness, sadness, and frustration can build up. Crying in these moments might be your mind’s way of expressing how much you crave connection. It could also be about the sadness of missing out on social interactions or grieving relationships that aren’t there anymore.

7. Shame

Shame can trigger uncontrollable crying because it’s a deeply painful emotion that attacks our self-esteem and self-worth. When we feel ashamed, we believe that we’re flawed or unlovable, which can cause immense emotional distress and crying spells. You may also feel ashamed if you are uncontrollably crying, which creates a vicious shame cycle that makes it hard to stop.

8. Exhaustion & Feeling Overwhelmed

If you are exhausted and feeling overwhelmed, regulating your emotions is a lot more difficult. Even small challenges can trigger a stronger emotional response than usual. Crying becomes a way to release the built-up tension and frustration you can’t readily process due to exhaustion.¹

9. Anger

Although it may sound counterintuitive, crying and anger can occur together. Anger is a secondary emotion that masks deeper emotions such as hurt, guilt, regret, and sadness. When you’re angry, these underlying emotions might be present but difficult to acknowledge. Crying can be a way to access and release those deeper feelings, even if it starts with expressing anger.

10. Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by a pattern of “mood swings”, typically ranging from depression to mania or hypomania. During depressive episodes, feelings of deep sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness can overwhelm a person, leading to bouts of uncontrollable crying. On the other hand, during manic or hypomanic episodes, heightened emotions can also trigger uncontrollable crying. Even though these episodes are typically associated with elevated or irritable moods, the emotional intensity can sometimes swing to extreme sadness or frustration, leading to unexpected tears.

Aside from uncontrollable crying, other signs of bipolar disorder include:

• Inflated self-esteem and grandiose thoughts and feelings
• Decreased need for sleep
• Irritability or elevated mood
• Increased engagement in high-risk behaviors (drugs, sex, gambling, activities that can easily result in physical harm)
• Increased focus and attention on achieving goals
• Racing thoughts and increased talkativeness
• At least one depressive episode in your lifetime

11. Neurological Issues

Neurological issues or disorders can also cause uncontrollable crying spells. The role of the brain is to help someone physically, emotionally, and cognitively. If someone has neurological concerns, it can impact an individual’s functioning and cause uncontrollable crying spells.

Neurological disorders that can cause uncontrollable crying include:

• Alzheimer’s²
• ALS³
• Stroke
• Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA)⁴
• Parkinson’s

Impacts of Uncontrollable Crying

Experiencing uncontrollable crying can be confusing and frustrating, especially if you do not know why it is happening. Regardless of the cause of the crying, the spells can impact several areas of one’s life as they can be an intrusion on routine and feelings of stability.

Impacts of uncontrollable crying can include:⁵

• Isolation
• Missing essential events
• Social embarrassment
• Limited connection with others
• Potential issues at work, school, or outside hobbies
• Difficult emotions surrounding the crying

How to Immediately Stop Crying Uncontrollably

It can be hard to imagine how you might be able to stop crying spells when you feel like you are crying too often or crying for no reason. However, there are ways to prevent and slow these crying spells, including distraction, monitoring your triggers, and relaxation skills.

Here are eleven ways to stop or limit uncontrollable crying spells:

• Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and then exhale slowly for 8 seconds
• Use the 54321 method to focus on your surroundings
• Engage in a physical activity like stretching, walking, or progressive muscle relaxation.
• Splash cold water on your face
• Count backwards from 100
• Put your tongue to the roof of your mouth
• Press acupuncture points, such as the bridge of your nose or temples
• Pinch yourself lightly
• Hold an ice cube
• Repeat a calming affirmation or mantra to yourself, such as “I am calm” or “This will pass.”
• Solve a puzzle, read something complex, or engage in a task that requires concentration

How to Prevent Future Crying Spells

No matter what’s causing your crying spells, there are ways to manage and prevent them from getting worse. The main goal is to get better at handling your emotions, which is sometimes called increasing distress tolerance. By adding self-care routines and practicing mindfulness, you can improve your quality of life and reduce how often you experience crying spells.

Worksheets to Help You Manage Uncontrollable Crying

This free workbook will help you take charge of your emotions and feel more grounded and in control during challenging times. Find the one you need, or download the entire collection here.

The Complete Workbook Download

Identifying Triggers Download

Self-Care Inventory Download

Setting Healthy Boundaries Download

PLEASE Take Care of Yourself Download

Nervous System Regulation Download

Here are some tips for preventing future crying spells:

• Identify your triggers: Keep a journal of your crying episodes to spot patterns or triggers. For example, note if you were tired, stressed, or had a tough conversation before you started crying. Understanding your triggers can help you prepare and cope better in the future.¹
• Practice emotional self-care: Taking care of your emotions is crucial. Try practicing emotional self-care, like journaling, drawing, or simply being kind to yourself. For instance, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a few minutes to write down your thoughts or listen to calming music.
• Manage your stress: Stress is a big part of life, but learning how to manage it can help keep your emotions in check. Stress-relief techniques like meditation, mindfulness, yoga, or even regular exercise, such as a daily walk, can make a big difference.
• Maintain a balanced lifestyle: Sometimes, crying spells happen when there’s an imbalance in your daily routine. Make sure you’re eating well, getting enough sleep, staying active, and practicing self-care to keep your life balanced.
• Build a support system: Having people to lean on can boost your confidence and self-worth, helping to prevent future crying spells. Learn how to ask for help when you need it and work on building meaningful connections. This might start with reaching out to a friend or joining a support group.
• Set boundaries: Poor boundaries can lead to emotional stress and crying spells. Learning to say “no” and setting healthy boundaries in your relationships can reduce stress and bring more balance into your life. Start small by identifying one area where you need better boundaries.
• Develop problem-solving skills: If making decisions is tough and leads to emotional distress, working on your problem-solving skills can help. Feeling confident in your ability to handle problems can lower the chances of uncontrollable crying.
• Seek professional help: Sometimes, uncontrollable crying is tied to deeper issues, like negative beliefs about yourself or the world. A therapist can help you work through these complex emotions and find solutions. Don’t hesitate to reach out for support if you need it.

When to Seek Professional Support

If you are experiencing uncontrollable crying spells that are beginning to impact your day-to-day functioning, it may be time to seek professional support. Finding a therapist can feel daunting, but an online therapist directory is a great way to get started. If you prefer to see a therapist remotely, many different online therapy services can match you with a qualified therapist. Online-Therapy.com is a therapy service designed for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is particularly effective in addressing behaviors we do not feel in control of.