Unexpected Crying - PTSD Related or Not?

[Numenal]

Hello,

I'm wondering if the onset of tears at unexpected moments could be ptsd related. (I have scored high on the anxiety side, low on the depression side of diagnostics). The traumas I've suffered have been several over many years time (car accident, rape, major earthquake, physical violence directed at me, all these from ages 8 to 35), and some of the symptoms I used to have are somewhat faded, while other symptoms persist.

The crying happens at odd times, for example yesterday I was going to get a key made in Chinatown, and the proprietor of the store told me his machine was broken. An old woman customer told me in heavily accented English where to find another shop, and tears sprang into my eyes. Luckily I was wearing sunglasses. This is just an example. It happens fairly often.

Anyone have this?

[2quilt]

oh yes. i cry at songs on the radio, when I get reminded of my traumas, when I see someone in the grocery store slap a child, when i hear someone else crying, when someone helps me when they don't have to, when someone is mean to me...

[Nicolette]

Oh, I don't know. I am a Carer but the smallest things can bring tears to my eyes. Anthony and my son get lots of fun out of it as when we watch anything remotely sad on TV they watch the tears stream down my face. I can hear a good news story on the radio and be sobbing listening.

I have had a lot of trauma in my life but don't have PTSD so perhaps it is more trauma related. My own conclusion to my situation is I spent a lot of years bottling up emotions and now that I am in a safe and loving situation I can let my guard down. The problem now is there is a back log of a whole lot of bottled up stuff coming out with what would be considered normal.

[cypher]

yes, I cried at work today because I saw a spider. Ran around, it really freaked me out. Yeah, I cried, reminded me of what happened (i also threw up) took some time to calm down. really anything that reminds me of my trauma sets me off. Someone also came in smelling very strongly of cigarette smoke, I had to help the person and started to cry some, but I said "Damn these allergies" for a little damage control.

[kers]

What are you *feeling* in these situations where you end up in tears?

I think my tears are sometimes PTSD-related, because I cry when I feel pinned in, pushed, cornered--and that can happen with a nuance in a person's tone or the way people stand around me. At these times the tears are clearly inappropriate. However, crying when you're sad, frustrated, or very angry is more typical, and of course with PTSD these emotions are more at the forefront.

[Moonshadow]

Sometimes I'll go days without crying, other times, I can't shut it off. Music often gets me, especially if they have lyrics that hit me. There are many songs that I try to sing along, and can't get through it without crying. I often try to make myself listen over and over, until I can sing it. It's very hard to do. There's a song by Peter Gabriel, called, Darkness, that is like the theme song for PTSD. It gets me every time.

I try not to let anyone see me cry. They don't understand, and it makes me feel like a freak. When I feel a "meltdown" coming on, I try to hold it in, until everybody else has gone to bed. Then, I go sit in the car, inside the garage, and yell and scream and sob, until I'm exhausted.

[Numenal]

Thanks for the replies...

The last time it happened I felt weirdly sad because someone was being kind to me...otherwise I usually cry when I feel slighted, or when I see a movie that shows someone suffering trauma similar to those of mine, or when I see an injured animal or even plant.

It sounds like it may or may not be ptsd related.

[Numenal]

Thanks for these replies. I actually posted a reply yesterday but I'm in moderation and don't know if it, a quick-reply, went through.

But the answer that question, I usually cry when I feel slighted/ignored, when I see in movies people suffering the same types of traumas I have (the feeling is like grief), when someone is being kind to me (don't know what that feeling is--fear of trusting?), or when I see a suffering animal or injured plant.

It sounds like this may or may not be ptsd related....

[Seeking_Nirvana]

I never cried much because I kept it all inside. I only cried when my relatives; sister, dad and ex-husband died.

But now that I started healing I have cried unexpectedly. So I'm not sure what is normal and what isn't in regards to crying.

Tammy