How do you stop yourself from crying?

[Horcrux]

Does anyone else get over emotional when they wish they wouldn’t, such as something happening at work or confrontation? Then it’s made worse when someone asks if you’re okay!

It doesn’t happen often and usually because I’m stressed or tired but I seem to manage to keep it all in until someone ‘gives me permission’ by asking if I’m okay! Then I can’t seem to hold it in any longer.

Has anyone overcome this, have any tips please?

I always thought I was pretty tough but this last year my skin isn’t as thick as I thought

I get this too OP I hate confrontation and like you I get so angry if I lose my temper and get upset that I have shown my emotions!! I try to slow down my breathing count backwards and slip away to the toilet as soon as I can!!

I'm the same, I hate it. I heard somewhere that squeezing your bum cheeks together when you feel tears coming on helps and tbh I've found it does help slightly!

I'm the same, OP. I hate it, but don't know how to control it. Would love to get some good tips.

I find it difficult to cry. I know things are bad if I cry

You know how you tell children to whistle or sing to stop the tears starting? I have adapted that slightly, talk, non stop, keep it relevant and rapid. "Well I will have a good think about that Chris, yes, yes, I expect your right, I must say I didn't expect that, mmm mmm, etc etc."
And don't blink.
If you don't blink then the tears gathering won't fall.
Turn away as soon as you can and breath through mouth, deep, lung fillers. Walk away until out of sight.
Then wipe your eyes on your inside sleeve.

I have no advice. I am like a raging torrent of tears.

I force a huge smile and hold it there, smiling releases endorphins which help stop the tears. I may look like a loon but it works for me.

Someone once suggested pressing the palm of your hand into the side of your neck, sort of under your chin and weirdly it does work for me

I rap Eminem lyrics in my head likes secret gangster to convince myself it ain’t worth crying about..

An alternative perspective. I cry easily and have cried at work, although due to work pressure rather than issues with individuals and it is just who I am and I have made my peace with it. Probably happened once every 18 months...

Yes I’m a huge cryer, it can be embarrassing at times so now I look for colours not the environment it can be hard to do whilst haveing a conversation but it’s stops the crying. It’s busy’s the brain

I don't cry much - only really at funerals and when watching sad films and tv or reading a sad book.

But when I do cry at something stupid, I find looking in the mirror helps me stop because I realise how horrendous I look when crying.

I'm pregnant right now and have cried at some really stupid things. If I feel it coming on, I recite the alphabet backwards in my head, or find something written, say a newspaper or advert and read it backwards.

No idea why. It works.

My top tips would be to breathe slowly counting to 5 on the in breath, hold for a second and counting to 8 on the out breath.

Imagine yourself floating above the scene, just watching it happening from a distance - to disassociate from the feelings. Or imagine watching it happening in front of you on a screen. It helps to take a step back in your imagination/mind.

Say to yourself "stop, breathe, think, respond" to slow your thoughts.

Concentrate on listening to the exact words being said.

@Courtney555 32 weeks here too. Never been a big crier but since being pregnant I am a wreck.

I pan fried salmon today. The end of my salmon got stuck to the bottom of the pan and didn’t come off in one nice fillet so I had to put it in my plate looking ugly.

DP caught my bottom lip going as I stared at my ugly fish dinner.

Last time I cried was in the 90's when I visited Pearl Harbour, I wish I could, I'm pretty emotionless.

Allergies. That's my excuse and the thing I waffle on about. Tree pollen, dust mites, damp at this time of year etc. Waffling on helps move past and distract from the being overwhelmed. If one or two tears sneak out it's a plausible excuse and the empathetic person offering sympathy can be sympathetic and do the gush they were ready too so normality resumes

I’m not a crier at all, in fact I have never cried at a film in my life. I don’t really understand why so many women cry so much, that’s not how my brain is wired at all. My emotional outlet is much more likely to be an outburst of anger.

I cry very easily, at both sad and happy situations. I find I can just about hold the tears back if I repeatedly tell myself ‘You will not cry now’ whilst taking slow, deep breaths. I’ll also think to myself that I can go and have a good cry later (at a more appropriate time, for instance when I’m alone) and this helps to stop it from happening. I usually will have a good cry later on, too, I find crying can be a huge release and I almost always feel better afterwards.

I have hair trigger tear ducts. There is neither rhyme nor reason. But I heard someone says tickling the roof of your mouth with your tongue helps. And it has stopped me in my tracks. Unless I am off for a huge howl, then nothing stops me. It relaxes the muscles round my mouth and gives me time to breath and takes the wobble out of my voice. It really works and it has saved my dignity several times.

Haha thanks @movingonbackwards

@managedmis I wish I was like that! I’m not a regular crier but I do get unnecessarily teary.

Some good advice @user1471446186 @SexlessBoulderBelly

@DangerClose I’ll try that, I bet I do too!

Thanks, lots of advice!!

I don’t know why I do either @AgeLikeWine, it’s been more so since having children. I wish I could toughen up and not have to try to hold back the tears. I wish I didn’t get the tears!

Drink water in gulps until I suppress all the tears back down. Not much use unless you have water to hand at that precise moment.

I'm just angry until someone is kind to me and then I'm a snotty sobbing mess.

My old boss (female) used to swear by looking up to the ceiling slightly and imagining you're giving a blow job.

If you’re in a meeting somewhere where you think you might cry, bite the inside of your cheek. I learned it recently at a time that I really needed it and it absolutely worked.
No permanent or even semi-permanent damage occured