Tear Therapy

Story★★

Gregg Levoy, writing in Psychology Today, reports that crying can actually remove chemicals that build up during emotional stress. According to Levoy, the amount of manganese stored in the body affects our moods, and the body stores thirty times as much of manganese in tears as in blood serum. Biochemist William Frey says the lacrimal gland, which determines the flow of tears, concentrates and removes manganese from the body. Frey has also identified three chemicals stored up by stress and released by crying.

Mildred Tengbom, Letting Tears Bring Healing and Renewal (St. Mein.rad, IN: Abbey Press, 1990), 3.

The point

Crying physically flushes out stress-related chemicals like manganese, which may be one reason tears help us feel better.

Scripture

Psalm 56:8Revelation 21:4

Audience

Adults

Tone

Comforting

To tell aloud

about 1 min · 165 words

Subjects

Health Psychology Healing Tears Emotion Emotions Stress

Community

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