Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

Why do I burst into uncontrollable tears? I don't think I have anxiety or depression, but sometimes if I'm doing chores or watching TV, something breaks inside and I just start sobbing really bad.

6 Answers
Last Updated: 10/07/2019 at 7:44am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Jessica McDaniel, LPC, LCPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

I have been practicing cognitive behavioral psychotherapy since 2007 with a diverse group of adult clients with various diagnoses, all races, and socioeconomic classes.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
November 19th, 2016 5:16am
Crying spells can come from quite a few things, the first coming to my mind being anxiety, stress/lack of sleep, depression, and PMS. If any of those sound like they could be the culprit, there's your answer. If not, perhaps consider that depression isn't always sadness, just as anxiety isn't always purely fear. Depression can be feelings of being disconnected from those around you or even a lack of feeling, and anxiety can be obsessive worrying/catastrophizing. Either way, it might be a good idea to see a professional of some kind and talk with them about it. I'm sure it could be any number of things besides what I said.
Anonymous
November 27th, 2016 6:19am
I read this from somewhere, and maybe it can help you like it helps me. When you feel like breaking down, or panicking, find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. I use this technique to help ground me all the time. Hopefully it can help you. :)
Anonymous
December 4th, 2017 2:07pm
You may want to talk to a professional about this feeling, if there seems to be no direct cause that you can identify. If you're going through a hard time, you can also benefit from talking to someone about it.
AnaFilomena
July 3rd, 2018 5:10pm
I personally have the same issue. Maybe you have an issue (or more than one), that hasn't yet been settled or overcome, and this may be an issue that you don't realize now what it is, you may need to analyze your feelings to figure it out. I know it can be scary, especially when you do start figuring it out, however once you know what it is that's bothering you, you can try to make yourself feel better. (e.g. Saying goodbye to someone you didn't get the chance to do so, forgiving someone, telling a secret, telling the truth...)
AnneCat
September 18th, 2018 2:56pm
Sometimes when we let ourselves relax, even if it is just our minds that are relaxing such as the state we fall into when doing chores or watching t.v., thoughts weighing on our subconscious come forward. Or, sometimes things we have never fully dealt with or grieved through hit us. Everything is fine and then suddenly we finally get release from a moment we didn't fully express ourselves. It can be healing to cry, and definitely is not always a bad thing. When these moments hit you and you don't know where they come from, a meditation or reflection in a way of your choosing can help to reveal what triggered the sudden outburst.
RainbowGhosty
October 7th, 2019 7:44am
Sometimes when we repress out emotions or when we are stressed out, but don’t fully realize it, our body needs to release all of this energy. A common way the body does this is through just random bursts of crying. There could also be something going on that you thought was okay, but was actually taking on a greater toll than you first thought, which caused you to start crying like you did. This happens to everybody and is not unheard of or uncommon, so you’ll be okay. Just remeber to take it easy and to take care of yourself!