Does anyone ever feel like they badly need to cry but are physically blocked from being able to?

[IncompleteSenten]

I realise that sounds weird but I'm struggling to find another way to describe it.

I don't feel sad or upset or anything really. Not emotionally.

This is a physical sensation.

A big pain in my chest and stomach and a sensation in my head, chest, stomach and throat that I can only describe as the need to cry being trapped behind a physical blockage.

It is a strange burning/aching sensation.

Yes. When my beloved Gran died end of March and was unable to until late September.
My lovely vicar friend said that was my body in shock, doing what it needed to do to protect itself. But it was awful, just numbness.

Yes ever since I took citalopram. It's a known side effect of SSRIs but I've been off it for a few years and I still can't have the cathartic tears that I need sometimes.

Yes. For years. The last 10 years I’ve had to go NC with both parents (they’re split but one is a 9am drinking alcoholic, the other severely mentally unwell but won’t seek help), been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, had 2 children (first just before lockdown), taken on an enormous role at work, relocated away from family/friends, had 3 grandparents die, and I’m sure there are other things but honestly my life has been so stressful I can hardly remember

I don’t cry because I’m a vacuum and unable to

Sorry for your loss @HcbSS

I've been switched from sertraline to duloxitine but that was before Christmas. Although my dosage was upped again about a month ago. I didn't consider that.

So sorry to hear that, @MaryMaryVeryContrary

I can't cry. Feels like I've never been able to when I need to.

Occasionally I will, in a massive breakdown of sorts, then I'll go back to being unable to again.

As a kid crying never got me anywhere, I learned to just surpress is and carry on. Now I can't break out of that.

Thank you. Before that was a v stressful upbringing with those lunatics involving police and family court. I went off the rails completely and had an abusive boyfriend for a few years. I have been living under intense stress since I was about 12 and I now no longer have anything bar a dull ache in my chest. I don’t know whether that’s good or bad