It's happened to all of us. We're watching a movie. The music swells. The camera pans across a breathtaking scene. The characters' emotions seem to come right through the screen.
And then you feel the bridge of your nose start to tingle and your eyes start to sting, and soon you're bawling like a baby.
Some people might roll their eyes or poke fun. It's only a movie, after all. It's not even real.
But if you're someone who cries at movies, you know just how real even the most fantastic of movies can feel, and just how real your emotions are when you feel them.
It might make you feel a little embarrassed, especially if you're crying in front of other people. After all, we've been conditioned since childhood to see crying as a sign of weakness, especially for men and boys.
In fact, a study has shown that those of us who cry at movies (be it a little sniffle or a full-blown sob fest) are actually the possessors of some seriously formidable emotional strength.
Movies have been inspiring people to laughter, chills, and tears for 120 years, and they'll continue to inspire feelings in people of all ages. Part of that inspiration just might manifest as tears.
When that happens, it really means that we're experiencing empathy and being in someone else's position, even if that person isn't real at all.
So the next time someone makes fun of those who cry at movies, let them know that the movie cryers are actually the ones with a deep and hidden strength.
Thumbnail Photo: Find Arthritis Treatment, Flickr
Why Do We Cry At Movies?
Movies aren't real. Even documentaries are, for most of us, a pretty far step removed from our own lives. So why cry about them?
Well, it turns out that our brains aren't always so good at differentiating between reality and fantasy.
So when we see characters in emotional situations on screen, our brains release oxytocin, a neuropeptide that makes us feel empathy, which means we can feel what someone else is feeling — even if the person in question is a fictional character.
Oxytocin makes us feel connected to and compassionate toward others, and it also drives us to do good deeds.
So if you're someone who cries a lot at movies, what does it mean about you?
Movie-Crier Trait #1: You Have Strong Empathy
If your emotions get stirred up easily when you see someone else in an emotional state, it means you're likely a very empathetic person.
You find it easy to put yourself in someone else's position, and to understand their points of view.
You're likely the person friends and loved ones seek out when they need help, and people probably find you to be a comforting presence.
Movie-Crier Trait #2: You're Strong Enough To Carry The Emotions Of Others
Being empathetic means you often have to carry not only all of your own emotions, but also those of the people you care about.
If you take other peoples' emotions to heart, almost like you feel them yourself, it means you're shouldering the burden of at least one entire other person.
To be able to do that and carry on with your day takes some serious strength.
Movie-Crier Trait #3: You Can Bounce Back
When you're used to feeling intense emotions, you become a pro at getting back to a stable equilibrium.
You know how to calm yourself down, what's really worth getting upset over in the first place, and how to keep moving forward.
So while your emotions of course have an effect on you, you know better than to let them hobble you completely, and you possess the ability to keep going.
Movie-Crier Trait #4: You Know How To Release Bottled-Up Emotions
Many people have the problem of stuffing their emotions way deep down inside, which can cause emotional as well as physical problems.
Crying at a movie can be a great release. You might even tend to watch tearjerkers if you've been having a rough day!
Crying at a movie is also a great way to untangle some of your own emotions through the characters onscreen.
And since it's only a movie, you don't have to deal with any really lasting effects. You have a nice cry, you feel better, and credits roll!
Movie-Crier Trait #5: You're Able To Appreciate Art And Beauty More Deeply
Movies are an art form. It's not just the acting, it's also the scenes, the camera work, and the score that come together for the full effect.
And if this type of art can move you emotionally, you're probably pretty in-tune with other types of art too.
You're likely able to feel something by looking at artwork, listening to music, or reading books. Maybe you even make art yourself.
However, because you're good at looking at and appreciating art, you're also good at discerning reality from fiction.
Movie-Crier Trait #6: You're Brave In The Face Of Uncomfortable Emotions
Movies, at least good ones, challenge us to face emotions that might be less than pleasant, or even downright scary.
But they also act as practice for when we have to face those emotions in real life, which is when they have real consequences.
If you're in tune with your emotions while watching movies, you might find that facing uncomfortable situations or strange feelings in real life doesn't feel quite so scary.
Where others might shy away, you're more likely to forge ahead and explore the unknown.
Movie-Crier Trait #7: You're Better At Relating To Others
When you cry while watching your favorite character cry onscreen, you're relating to that character.
In real life, you're able to do the same.
You're good at putting yourself into someone else's shoes and at finding common ground with people who might seem very different from you.
You might find it easy to hold conversations with strangers, and even find yourself invested in their stories.
Movie-Crier Trait #8: You're Better At Understanding Your Emotions
Sometimes we feel something and we don't quite know why. Not knowing can be confusing, and it can also be downright uncomfortable.
But just like empathetic people are good at picking up on the emotions of others, they're also good at examining their own emotions, and are good at recognizing when a certain feeling is coming on.
Movie-Crier Trait #9: You're More Likely To Change The World
People with higher empathy are more likely to do good deeds and be altruistic.
Being aware of the real tragedies happening in the world might also bring a tear to your eye, but your empathy will inspire you to do good, whether it's donating to charity or volunteering in the community.
A study showed that watching a tearjerker actually made people more likely to donate money to charity.
So it turns out that a few tears during a movie mean that you're more likely to change the world!
What's a movie that never fails to make you mist up? Let us know in the comments, and SHARE this fascinating information with your friends!
