Does anybody else cry easily and how can I control it?

[Pumpernickelsoup]

Hello,
Wasn’t sure if I should post in this section as I’m on a waiting list for an ASD assessment and am pretty certain though also worried I’m just not like everyone else and it’s not ASD at all… such a contradiction I know, but anyway.
I think this question may relate to my suspected ASD and it’s so frustrating!
Does anybody else cry really easily? Not at silly things, at sad things (obviously) but also stressful things.
It’s like my mind cannot cope with stress and as soon as something feels stressful or sad I just cry and catastrophize (spelling?) it and it can only feel better if someone else is to give me a calmer or more positive perspective on it.
It’s not that I’m not a positive person because generally I really think I am, I just can’t seem to handle big emotions well.
I’m currently navigating a new situation with my youngest child and it’s not going as I thought and hoped it would and I’ve had some phone calls this week about things going wrong and I just find myself crying mid conversation and it’s so embarrassing as I want to come across as competent and proactive (which I seem to be able to be when not feeling overwhelmed) but I’m probably just coming across as massively unstable!

First, hugs because it sounds like a really tough time.

Practically I’ve found it can help me to have a good cry before dealing with other people so I’m a bit cried out.

Pushing my tongue hard against the roof of my mouth can help a bit too.

Thank you @LadyCordeliaFitzgerald, I think I had an idea in my mind of how it would be and it’s not turned out that way and that in itself is very overwhelming but I just don’t seem to deal with stress very well.
I don’t think the crying before hand would work as there is nothing to cry about at that point so I don’t know how I would cry without an actual reason.
The pushing the tongue against the roof of the mouth sounds helpful though, thank you very much! I will absolutely try that if I have another overwhelming phone call.

Yes, I find I cry whenever I get frustrated, which (especially for a pre-teen and teenager) is incredibly frustrating!

I had to explain to a delightful young man who was attempting to teach me something in karate that I was not upset and he should ignore the water all over my face

It may well have something to do with the ND. I skim-read "The Explosive Child" which was my sister's (both the book and the child) and it suggests that their explosions and our tears are different reactions to the same thing. It definitely made sense.

I've found that when whatever I'm singing makes me cry (nostalgia and emotions around my late mother) it helps to pinch my wrist really hard - the physical pain is a distraction from the emotions. Not tried it with frustration crying though.

I cry too easily sometimes. I don't like it when it happens as I feel as though I've lost control.

I don't tend to cry easily when I'm sad though, it happens more when I'm angry, frustrated and overwhelmed.

I'm like this too... please send your tips my way!

@merryhouse that makes complete sense. My younger son who is on the spectrum reacts with anger and defiance when he’s overwhelmed or frustrated and mine just seems to come out in tears!
I cry easily at reading things, songs and tv too, My children always check to see if I’m crying when we watch a film and they find it really funny!
@Clarice99 it’s so frustrating isn’t it when you feel like you’ve lost control. I try my hardest to hold it in around people and to the very most part I manage to hold it in but at least on the phone it’s only crying. In person I’d be pacing or curled up and rocking when it’s really bad. Sometimes I even do an almost growling noise that I have no idea where it comes from but that only comes out in extremely stressful circumstances, not every day life. I always feel so embarrassed afterwards and wonder why I can’t handle things well.
I find that I cry more at stress and overwhelm than actual sadness but I seem to cry more at sad things when I watch or read about them, in person I don’t really know how to react when someone tells me something sad. I just try to be comforting but it doesn’t actually make me cry.
@TR888 it’s so frustrating isn’t it?! I am currently looking for tips so have none to give but hopefully we can both find some good suggestions on here!

Yes I'm like this. I never feel anger because I just cry instead it's annoying. I hate that it's seen as a weakness but I also feel weaker by it anyway. I really go out of my way to make my life stress and cry free.

I'm also waiting for an autism assessment.

@PeacefulPrune I tend not to be able to feel anger either, I have wondered why.
When I was doing some therapy, the therapist would always ask how I was feeling and I didn’t ever know. I often struggle to pinpoint how I’m feeling although I’m often so full of feelings if that makes sense?!
It makes me feel very weak to cry so easily too.