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Relationships

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Crying during arguments

63 replies

Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 12:56

I really need help and advice....

I am a very emotional person, whenever me and my fiance argue I almost always end up crying and then find it hard to articulate myself.

I feel it weakens me, makes me look childish and not in control of my emotions but yet I still can't seem to help it! Once the tears form it's game over.

My brain seems to work against me too, for example if I'm not crying yet I'll think of a song that makes me sad or one of my lost loved ones, usually my Dad....and then the dreaded egg will lodge in my throat and my vision blurs....

Can anyone else relate or have any advice on how to NOT bloody well cry?

I'm desperate to make it stop!

OP posts:
Watchkeys · 28/11/2022 14:35

OK, that's good, then, that you can identify it. I found the sentence 'You're not listening to me!' to fit all the situations when I behaved/sounded/felt like a child. Any arguments where I cried, any losing my temper, and passive aggressive behaviours I exhibited, any tantrums (yes, I was still having them in my 40s, and was deeply embarrassed about them!), all could be resolved by me screaming (I didn't, but wanted to) 'YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!!!!'

I wonder if it's similar for you. The main person who wasn't listening to me, much to my surprise, was me. I minimised my feelings all the time. If I was upset, I tried to pretend I wasn't. If I had a preference, I wouldn't say it. If I was angry, I put a cork in it. Once I started saying 'I feel upset', 'I feel angry', 'I'd prefer it this way', things started to change.

Do you find you minimise your own feelings? It sounds like you've been conditioned to. You can sort it out, and it's such a relief when you do, I can tell you!

SarahMcClarent · 28/11/2022 14:38

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Scrapper142 · 28/11/2022 14:39

ABrotherWhoLooksLikeHellMugYou · 28/11/2022 13:41

I used to cry during arguments when I was with my ex. He was really good at twisting the truth or what I said (still is) so that he was the victim, I got so angry and upset and frustrated and would cry and then he'd tell me I was doing it to manipulate him. But really I was just completely tangled up in words. I'd o ly be able to formulate clear thoughts when I'd stepped away and calmed down.

I never get in that state with DP. He doesn't tangle me up like that and I can stay calm and actually verbalise any issues.

I only just realised that i haven't had this problem since being with him when i started answering your post. The problem is your partner, not so much you. However maybe try stepping away saying youre getting upset and you'll come back when you've got control of yourself?

I can second this.
New partner doesn't treat me like shit, so no real reasons to be having an argument, disagreements can be discussed without it blowing up. Ex loved that i got upset because he could use it as proof that I'm a terrible person and at fault. Most arguments were based on something horrible he did to me or a lie he'd told, me reacting and it all getting turned around back on to me.
It really made me question myself as had never been like that before or since, the difference was him.

Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 14:46

Maverickess · 28/11/2022 14:33

I cry easily and tbh when I'm accused of doing it to be manipulative in a confrontation, it just makes it worse because then not only am I angry /frustrated at the initial confrontation I'm then more so because I'm being misinterpreted at best and it's being used to shut me up at worst.

It's something I hate happening but something I really struggle to control and I feel the manipulation accusation is a go to for people who don't want to resolve anything, they just want to be right and not compromise at all and I'm then more annoyed (at myself too!) Because I've handed them the perfect tool to dismiss me! I get where you're coming from because it's so bloody annoying!

To echo a pp (I am single but these situations do crop up with family and quite often at work where 'customers' go on the attack - less of an argument there but similar feelings) I call a halt and step away to calm down, it's no different than doing so if you felt like you were going to lose your temper or you started really shouting etc - you need to step away from the situation to get control of your emotions and think things through and then go back. I tend to shut down a bit now and look away, let them rant on and not answer when I feel it starting, and I can't step away.

To echo another pp - I was repeatedly told off for crying as a child, no matter what the reason, and accused of doing it to make my mother feel bad, it took me until recently to realise that she totally dismissed any feelings I have ever had and she's so self absorbed that she thinks everyone's actions and feelings are about her, aimed at her, not that they have them because they're a person too.

Yes! The accusation of me being manipulative really bothers me, it just seems so harsh, cruel and judgemental. I really envy people who can not show themselves up by being over emotional and would pay good money to be able to NOT cry!

I also feel furious and frustrated with myself crying during arguments with my partner because then I feel like he's won by default.

I can't keep on arguing my point and articulate myself anymore because I'm now a high pitched, blotchy faced, snotty nosed blubbery wreck.

It sucks to be like this. Lol x

OP posts:
picklemewalnuts · 28/11/2022 14:49

Yeo things going on here, I think, and you need to do some serious work around it.

  1. Your upbringing has conditioned you to accept shitty behaviour and see it as a flaw in yourself- I cry like a baby, I can't control myself, I overreact...
  1. Your partner is behaving really badly, and 1. Means you can't see that.
Flowers
Watchkeys · 28/11/2022 14:51

The accusation of me being manipulative really bothers me, it just seems so harsh, cruel and judgemental

Why do you want to continue a relationship with someone who can treat you this way?

What's your relationship generally like? I can't imagine Mr LovingAttentiveSweetheartDreamMan suddenly switches to cruel and back when you cry?

Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 14:51

Watchkeys · 28/11/2022 14:35

OK, that's good, then, that you can identify it. I found the sentence 'You're not listening to me!' to fit all the situations when I behaved/sounded/felt like a child. Any arguments where I cried, any losing my temper, and passive aggressive behaviours I exhibited, any tantrums (yes, I was still having them in my 40s, and was deeply embarrassed about them!), all could be resolved by me screaming (I didn't, but wanted to) 'YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!!!!'

I wonder if it's similar for you. The main person who wasn't listening to me, much to my surprise, was me. I minimised my feelings all the time. If I was upset, I tried to pretend I wasn't. If I had a preference, I wouldn't say it. If I was angry, I put a cork in it. Once I started saying 'I feel upset', 'I feel angry', 'I'd prefer it this way', things started to change.

Do you find you minimise your own feelings? It sounds like you've been conditioned to. You can sort it out, and it's such a relief when you do, I can tell you!

Oh I HUGELY minimise my own feelings and always have done.

I seem to feel ashamed of them.

Definitely something to do with childhood.

Whether I'll ever resolve it or not, I just don't know.

Yet, as a mother, I always tell my kids their feelings are valid and if one of them is crying, I'll do my best to make them feel comfortable with the feeling and talk through with them what is upsetting them.

I couldn't stand for them to feel the way I do.

OP posts:
Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 14:57

Watchkeys · 28/11/2022 14:51

The accusation of me being manipulative really bothers me, it just seems so harsh, cruel and judgemental

Why do you want to continue a relationship with someone who can treat you this way?

What's your relationship generally like? I can't imagine Mr LovingAttentiveSweetheartDreamMan suddenly switches to cruel and back when you cry?

I will admit honestly that I have serious abandonment issues....

He is only here at weekends, when we get on it's great, but we do argue more than most probably...we're both quite highly strung. But it's never him who cries....

Last night in bed I was crying next to him and he ignored me for ages before finally turning over after about 10 minutes to cuddle me.

I felt really unloved and scared he had stopped loving me.

OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 28/11/2022 15:07

My brain seems to work against me too, for example if I'm not crying yet I'll think of a song that makes me sad or one of my lost loved ones, usually my Dad....and then the dreaded egg will lodge in my throat and my vision blurs....

This comes across as incredibly manipulative. This is what an actor does to cry on demand. Maybe you aren't consciously choosing to do this OP but subconsciously you are upsetting yourself even further. Was this a learnt behaviour as a child perhaps? Why aren't you paying attention to the discussion you're having rather than drifting off to deliberately sad thoughts? You're choosing to dwell on things which will upset you further. Rather than trying to self-soothe and take the emotion out so you can have a calmer discussion, you seem to be choosing (consciously or not) to do the opposite so emotions escalate.

HundredMilesAnHour · 28/11/2022 15:16

I will admit honestly that I have serious abandonment issues....

So what are you doing to tackle your abandonment issues? If you can't afford/access therapy, there are some good materials online that will help you understand why you feel and behave this way. If you can understand why you react like this, then you can start to work on how you change your behaviours.

You won't like me saying this but people with abandonment issues ARE manipulative. You need to accept this before you can work on changing it. You'll also be co-dependent and modelling co-dependency for your children too. This is a really hard area to work through but it's worth the effort so you can eventually have more healthy relationships in the future, without the huge lows that abandonment issues bring.

Watchkeys · 28/11/2022 15:47

I felt really unloved and scared he had stopped loving me

D'you often get that feeling? What would he have done if you'd told him you felt like that?

Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 16:16

HundredMilesAnHour · 28/11/2022 15:07

My brain seems to work against me too, for example if I'm not crying yet I'll think of a song that makes me sad or one of my lost loved ones, usually my Dad....and then the dreaded egg will lodge in my throat and my vision blurs....

This comes across as incredibly manipulative. This is what an actor does to cry on demand. Maybe you aren't consciously choosing to do this OP but subconsciously you are upsetting yourself even further. Was this a learnt behaviour as a child perhaps? Why aren't you paying attention to the discussion you're having rather than drifting off to deliberately sad thoughts? You're choosing to dwell on things which will upset you further. Rather than trying to self-soothe and take the emotion out so you can have a calmer discussion, you seem to be choosing (consciously or not) to do the opposite so emotions escalate.

I wish to God my mind wouldn't wander off to these places and when it happens I will do my best to refocus on the current situation.

It wasn't a learned behaviour as a child but it did also happen as a child.

I literally cannot control my brain doing it!

OP posts:
Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 16:17

Watchkeys · 28/11/2022 15:47

I felt really unloved and scared he had stopped loving me

D'you often get that feeling? What would he have done if you'd told him you felt like that?

It isn't often I feel that he doesn't love me, I actually did tell him I felt that way last night and he just kept saying I was wrong and that he adores me.

OP posts:
SpikeGilesSandwich · 28/11/2022 16:24

I do this and I hate it, makes me feel so pathetic and really frustrates DH which just makes things worse. He seems disgusted and says, "And now you're crying again, typical!" or similar, I've tried to explain that I can't help it but he doesn't get it. Sad

BuddhaAtSea · 28/11/2022 16:26

That was me for over 40 years. Crying in arguments.
I realised a few things:

  1. The people who made me cry wanted me to cry, because that would shut me up.
  2. It was a childish response to trauma because I never actually dealt with it properly.
  3. I am entitled to express my emotions
  4. I’m not a child anymore, I won’t tolerate it, and the minute I feel close to tears, I’m out of the door and never look back.
Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 16:28

SpikeGilesSandwich · 28/11/2022 16:24

I do this and I hate it, makes me feel so pathetic and really frustrates DH which just makes things worse. He seems disgusted and says, "And now you're crying again, typical!" or similar, I've tried to explain that I can't help it but he doesn't get it. Sad

Me too, I feel so pathetic crying when I'm a grown woman that should be articulating myself.

My fiance hasn't mocked me for crying though....it's horrible that your DH does that...💐

He did walk away from me last night knowing I was crying to go and have a shower and it made me feel like he didn't give a single toss about me, it just felt incredibly cold.

OP posts:
Watchkeys · 28/11/2022 18:15

I think feeling unloved and scared and like he didn't give a toss when you cried... those are feelings that come from your childhood. Those are feelings that you still have, because you weren't 'allowed' to feel them. But now you don't allow yourself to feel them; you call yourself pathetic for it. Can you imagine how mean you're being to yourself? That you feel scared and unloved, and your response is to say to yourself 'You're pathetic.' Think of how horrible you'd be if you said that to anybody else. Much worse than your bloke going to have a shower whilst you cry: it's actively cruel.

When we become adults, we are still subject to the same emotions as when we are children. We still need looking after and taking care of. The definition between the two (child and adult) is that children are parented by someone else, and adults are old enough to parent themselves. So, we have to actively take care of our emotions, in the same way a parent would. The problem is that we parent ourselves in the same way we've been parented, even if we realise it's wrong, because we don't realise we're parenting.

Imagine yourself as one of your children. Someone does something, even something minor that really isn't important, and it upsets your child. You say to your child 'You're pathetic.' How's the little one going to feel? Horrible. They are actually going to start feeling that they are pathetic.

That's what you're doing to yourself. You have your adult self (your mind) and your child self (your feelings/instincts), and your instincts are telling you, very plainly, by using negative emotions, that you don't like certain things. And you are essentially looking at that child/instinctive self, and saying 'Leave me alone, you're useless, you're in the way all the time, and you're pathetic.' You need to start to nurture that part of yourself. This is the change you need to make. You need to think about what you would say to a child who felt the way you did, that would be more supportive. 'Don't you like it here, sweetheart? Let's go somewhere else', 'Do you not like the way he talks to you, darling? That's ok, we
don't have to listen to him if we don't want to.'

When you change the way you deal with your feelings, your feelings will change. Once a child starts to feel heard and taken care of, the crying slows down and eventually stopped.

I was surprised to find that the part of me that used to cry, once I started to listen to it and it calmed down, became my boundaries. I know what I like and what I don't like, and if I don't like something, I say so, rather than telling myself I'm being a problem. And if the person doesn't listen, I distance myself from them.

Sunshineandflipflops · 28/11/2022 18:21

Aquamarine1029 · 28/11/2022 14:31

Your relationship sounds very unhealthy. All of this arguing is ridiculous. It shouldn't be this hard.

This.
I have been with my dp over 3 years and we have only properly argued once (and that was because I had drunk too much and misunderstood what he said. Not a proud moment, especially as he doesn’t even drink).

Emmelina · 28/11/2022 18:23

I cry too, I can’t help it. It’s emotion. It’s hot tears, I’m usually absolutely fuming while they roll down my cheeks but roll they do!

I used to be told by an ex that I was turning on the waterworks to manipulate him 🙄

notsosoftanymore · 28/11/2022 18:35

@Watchkeys that's a great post, thank you.

Maverickess · 28/11/2022 18:45

He did walk away from me last night knowing I was crying to go and have a shower and it made me feel like he didn't give a single toss about me, it just felt incredibly cold.

See this is where we differ because I would rather people did leave me alone to get my emotions under control and I wouldn't view it as cold or like someone didn't give a toss if they walked away from me crying in an argument situation - if I'd just had bad news and was crying because I was upset rather than angry then I'd be hurt if they just left me to it.
I view the two emotions - sad and angry as completely different and their retreating back would likely have "Aye, go on fuck off!" With accompanying snot and high pitched squeak In the situation you describe where as if I were sad and crying my response would be completely different if they walked away.

I think the People who view it as manipulative don't realise that crying can be a reaction to anger - just in the same way some shout, some go very quiet, some punch walls or throw things, they think it is you trying to make them feel guilty when in fact it's an expression of how you are feeling - and for me at least it's not sadness - I think it's frustration because I was never allowed to have any emotions growing up, I was always too happy or too miserable or too excited or too sad or too angry and when I couldn't shut the emotions down, I cried. It has to come out somewhere, I'm better than I used to be but I still revert back sometimes, either shut off and not responding at all (I've shut the emotions down) or crying.
Pp hit the nail on the head - I never learned to respect my own emotions or my right to feel them.

username8888 · 28/11/2022 18:56

Its clear from your later posts that conflict is something that triggers childhood trauma and thats something you can work on. Next the conflict/arguments do not seem to be a good way for you and your OH to communicate. I'd say during a calm time, talk about how conflict affects you, how resolving problems without anger and aggression, and finding ways to discuss issues in a more positive way, will help both of you.

Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 20:22

Watchkeys · 28/11/2022 18:15

I think feeling unloved and scared and like he didn't give a toss when you cried... those are feelings that come from your childhood. Those are feelings that you still have, because you weren't 'allowed' to feel them. But now you don't allow yourself to feel them; you call yourself pathetic for it. Can you imagine how mean you're being to yourself? That you feel scared and unloved, and your response is to say to yourself 'You're pathetic.' Think of how horrible you'd be if you said that to anybody else. Much worse than your bloke going to have a shower whilst you cry: it's actively cruel.

When we become adults, we are still subject to the same emotions as when we are children. We still need looking after and taking care of. The definition between the two (child and adult) is that children are parented by someone else, and adults are old enough to parent themselves. So, we have to actively take care of our emotions, in the same way a parent would. The problem is that we parent ourselves in the same way we've been parented, even if we realise it's wrong, because we don't realise we're parenting.

Imagine yourself as one of your children. Someone does something, even something minor that really isn't important, and it upsets your child. You say to your child 'You're pathetic.' How's the little one going to feel? Horrible. They are actually going to start feeling that they are pathetic.

That's what you're doing to yourself. You have your adult self (your mind) and your child self (your feelings/instincts), and your instincts are telling you, very plainly, by using negative emotions, that you don't like certain things. And you are essentially looking at that child/instinctive self, and saying 'Leave me alone, you're useless, you're in the way all the time, and you're pathetic.' You need to start to nurture that part of yourself. This is the change you need to make. You need to think about what you would say to a child who felt the way you did, that would be more supportive. 'Don't you like it here, sweetheart? Let's go somewhere else', 'Do you not like the way he talks to you, darling? That's ok, we
don't have to listen to him if we don't want to.'

When you change the way you deal with your feelings, your feelings will change. Once a child starts to feel heard and taken care of, the crying slows down and eventually stopped.

I was surprised to find that the part of me that used to cry, once I started to listen to it and it calmed down, became my boundaries. I know what I like and what I don't like, and if I don't like something, I say so, rather than telling myself I'm being a problem. And if the person doesn't listen, I distance myself from them.

Thank you.

It really feels like I'm always in the way....so that really clicked with me when you said that, I'm hyper aware in busy places like supermarkets because I don't want to be in the way. I jump at everything and am anxious.

I realise I have a whole load of pent up frustration and anger stemming from childhood....part of the problem is I'm now so close to the one who subjected me to it...My mum. It's in no way possible to talk to her about it because there would be a huge fall out and I just can't cope with that.

I may just try to stop engaging when my partner becomes argumentative, after all, it's not him who ends up in tears.

I really appreciate your points of view 💐

OP posts:
Brightstarowl · 28/11/2022 20:23

Emmelina · 28/11/2022 18:23

I cry too, I can’t help it. It’s emotion. It’s hot tears, I’m usually absolutely fuming while they roll down my cheeks but roll they do!

I used to be told by an ex that I was turning on the waterworks to manipulate him 🙄

It's bloody horrible isn't it? 💐

OP posts:
froggedup · 28/11/2022 21:22

I'm the same - I think any kind of argument triggers past abandonment issues (parents locking me in my room/ignoring me for days/not allowing me to express being scared/hurt/upset) - and so I either minimise how I'm feeling or immediately get anxious and upset and panic that I'm about to be rejected or punished for trying to express myself. My dad used to accuse me of "turning on the waterworks"/"crocodile tears" and my ex was similar - would either downright ignore or accuse me of being manipulative.

I thought I was an awful, manipulative narcissist and decided I needed anger management therapy because I was clearly so unreasonable and hotheaded - and I did need it, because I'd gotten so used to squashing how I felt about everything to avoid conflict that I'd become a simmering ball of rage under the surface. My therapist pointed out that even if I was crying 'deliberately', it was probably because subconsciously I was hoping it would prevent the other person from hurting me. I started to focus less on trying to persuade the other person to see my point of view, and more on not minimising my own feelings. That led to less outbursts/escalation in arguments because I was coming from a more logical place rather than emotional. It also led to me walking away from multiple new relationships when I realised they were more focused on "winning" arguments than resolving them and I could see when they were trying to confuse me into giving in - fuck that.

I'd recommend reading 'Attached' by Amir Levine - you can take accountability for your behaviour and reactions but there are some people you truly just aren't compatible with because they don't make you feel comfortable enough to express yourself without worrying you will be punished for it.

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