Why do onions make you cry?
462920
When you slice through an onion, you break open a number of onion cells. Some of these cells have enzymes inside of them, and when they are sliced open, the enzymes escape. The enzymes then decompose some of the other substances that have escaped from sliced cells. Some of these substances, amino acid sulfoxides, form sulfenic acids, which then quickly rearrange themselves into a volatile gas. \n\nThe gas reaches your eyes and reacts with the water that keeps them moist. This changes the chemical's form again, producing, among other things, a mild sulfuric acid, which irritates the eyes. The nerve endings in your eyes are very sensitive and so they pick up on this irritation (this is why our eyes sting when we slice onions). The brain reacts by telling your tear ducts to produce more water, to dilute the irritating acid so the eyes are protected.
370196
we actually cry as much at sad endings; as happy 1's------Its an overwhelming emotion-empathy--you cant help it--you feel like your the one in the situation.It overcomes your emotions and you let loose. Passes a hanky
778195
Your eyes have tear ducts that run down from the inside corner of your eye and drain at the back of your throat.  They are there because they are necessary to drain the excess fluid that is constantly bathing and cleaning our eyes.  When you cry this extra fluid floods the tear ducts and some collects in the sinuses and produces mucus.  A little crying is probably good for the tear ducts as it gives them a really good cleaning out. \n\n  Crying alot is not a good thing, unless you are crying for joy.
406648
I don't know if this is supposed to be a guy's problem...but my mother and I share the same problem. My mother is a little more severe in that aspect, though.\n\nI've never, ever seen her cry in my entire life. I can swear by that. Not even her eyes watering. She's an extremely tough, strong woman who'd never let the 'weakness' (she thinks its a weakness) of crying show in front of her children.\nI have no doubt she cries to herself at nights. But I've never seen her crying, and no matter how hurtful or great the situation is, she never breaks down. SHe's always tight-lipped and tension lines streak across her tired face, but there's never a tear.\nMy dad once commented to her, "I feel like I've married a man."\nI take that as a sort of compliment, that my mom, after having gone through several life crisises that wouldn't probably sent a whole family off a building or through the noose, she plough through it all, all without shedding a tear.\nAs for me, you can expect that because of her perception that crying is a weakness, I became somewhat eager to live up to her expectations (while my sister and brothers are whiny sobs...ok, well, they just cry a whole lot more, my sister being the worse.) and I became somewhat 'conditioned' not to cry.\nThough since I've had a fiance, he's been trying to encourage me not to be so 'angry', 'uptight' and close up all my feelings, I find it's helped a little, but I find it so hard to just 'let it go'.\nFor example, I was very close to my grandma. When she passed away because of breast cancer (she also had several stomach ulcers because she kept skipping meals to save money even though we were really well-off. SHe did it without our knowledge, because she came from extreme poverty with 8 kids single-handedly raised, and saving money no matter how was crucial to survival.), I was distraught, but I didn't cry.\nIt was an open coffin funeral. I remember seeing her lying in there dressed in new clothes, her eyes closed, like she was asleep. But she looked a little worried, I thought.\nI never shed a tear, I tried, I even closed my eyes and tried to run all the fond memories through my head of my beloved gran but not a tear could be shed.\nI was so...crushed. I felt like a robot. I still do. I find my emotions just swelling up inside.\n\nThe only 3 people who'd ever made me actually cry was my mother (she can be so hurtful at times, she was the first one who hurt my feelings during my childhood so much I curled up in the closet and cried.), my best friend (though we broke up long ago, she really was selfish and self-absorbed.) and my fiance (we've had a few big fights. He cried when he saw me cry. :|).\n\nI can understand it must be really frustrating, but for me, I realised we don't cry because a certain button in us has to be pushed.\nYou would know...have you ever thought or talked about a certain topic which you felt overwhelming emotion about? That's the button. One day, I suggest you sit down in a quiet spot where you can contemplate, and search that button and push it.\nYou might find that the tears that come out, might feel rather liberating.\n\n\nJenova\n(d.yuffie@gmail.com)
393029
It is a response tiggered by emotions configured in past experiences.\nCrying is a more complicated process than one would at first imagine. First of all, there are really three different types of tears. Basal tears keep our eyes lubricated constantly. Reflex tears are produced when our eyes get irritated, like with onions or when something gets into our eyes. The third kind of tear is produced when the body reacts emotionally to something. Each type of tear contains different amounts of chemical proteins and hormones. Scientists have discovered that the emotional tears contain higher levels of manganese and the hormone prolactin, and this contributes in a reduction of both of these in the body; thus helping to keep depression away. Many people have found that crying actually calms them after being upset, and this is in part due to the chemicals and hormones that are released in the tears.   \n\nHow then actually do we cry? The psychic tears (or emotional tears) require an emotional response, or trigger to be activated. This response can be caused by an outside source, either pain or loss of love, etc., or from an inside source (self-realization of one's life and others). When emotions affect us, the nervous system stimulates the cranial nerve, in the brain and this sends signals to the neurotransmitters to the tear glands. Thus, we cry .The largest tear gland, the lacrimal gland produces the tears of emotion and reflex. Many believe that the body, in times of emotional stress, depends on this gland to release excess amounts of chemicals and hormones, returning it to a stable state.
60511
In today's society, it takes a very strong man to cry. I think it is more sad to see a man cry because men today are usually ashamed of their emotions. I also know several women who can turn on the water works just to get their way. I never assume some injustice has been done just because a woman cries. I find out as much of the whole story as I can before I make any judgements. (I judge actions not people)
1176624
If feel the same galfriend.Bottling up sometimes destroys the person in turn destroying what the two of you have had.Letting flow of those drops sometimes heals the pain.Its ok to cry coz it gets rid of some toxic in your system.But i cant deal with someone who turns into a crybaby.
869922
When you slice through an onion, you break open a number of onion cells. Some of these cells have enzymes inside of them, and when they are sliced open, the enzymes escape. The enzymes then decompose some of the other substances that have escaped from sliced cells. Some of these substances, amino acid sulfoxides, form sulfenic acids, which then quickly rearrange themselves into a volatile gas.  The gas reaches your eyes and reacts with the water that keeps them moist. This changes the chemical's form again, producing, among other things, a mild sulfuric acid, which irritates the eyes. The nerve endings in your eyes are very sensitive and so they pick up on this irritation (this is why our eyes sting when we slice onions). The brain reacts by telling your tear ducts to produce more water, to dilute the irritating acid so the eyes are protected. Your other reaction is probably to rub your eyes, but this will actually make the irritation a lot worse, of course, if you have onion juices all over your hands. \nOddly enough, this volatile compound is also responsible for a lot of the great taste in onions, as well as the pleasant aroma when you cook the vegetable. You'll also get sulfenic acids by cutting up garlic, chives and leeks, among other vegetables, but they don't form the same irritating gas, just a strong smell.  There are all kinds of remedies for dealing with this irritating phenomenon, some more effective than others. As a general rule, move your head as far away from the onion as you can, so the gas will mostly disperse before it reaches your eyes. If you really can't stand the tears, the simplest solution might be to wear goggles. This measure is very effective, but it may seem a bit extreme to those around you, and if your kitchen is steamy, you might not be able to see what you're doing (never a good idea when you're using a knife).   Peeling the onion and then chilling it in the refrigerator before you slice it will minimize the release of gas somewhat, because the change in temperature alters the compounds in the onion. Cooking an onion before you slice it will work also, for the same reason. Another easy solution is to cut the onion under water or run the tap over it as you slice.   Some people say if you hold a lemon, piece of bread or a sugar cube in your mouth, the food will absorb the gas before it reaches your eyes. Breathing with your mouth, instead of your nose, might also help because as you inhale, you suck the gas in and as you exhale, you blow it away. This keeps a lot of the gas from ever reaching your eyes.
411411
Crying or weeping is increased production of tear due to strong emotional stress or pain. This practice is not restricted to negative emotions; many people have been known to cry when extremely happy. \n\nIn humans, emotional tears can be accompanied by reddening of the face and sobbing — cough-like, convulsive breathing, sometimes involving spasms of the whole upper body. Tears brought about by emotions have a different chemical make up than those for lubrication. As one of your other readers have pointed out crying releases a lot of stress and carries with it harmful chemicals away from your body.\n\nHave you not heard the phrase, "cry your heart out"... it makes good sense to cry out your feelings as it is bad to hold in emotions.... they say holding back really builds up toxins that can even lead to cancer.
244755
Sniff some pepper. Have you ever notice right before an actor cries the scene flickers, they are sniffing pepper or onions.
474228
Regardless of whether or not you feel sad, crying is a way for your body to release built up tension and stress. Ever been under an enormous amount of stress, then you hear a somewhat-funny joke and begin laughing hysterically...only to find yourself "laughing" so hard you're crying? Laughing is also a way for your body to release this tension. Your body is a miraculous machine and it needs to release negative energy in some way to keep on running. Perhaps you've been extra busy lately, or have had an extra amount of stuff on your mind...? Either way, your body is trying to regulate itself. It's nothing to be worried about.
6430
It is possible to cry under water. However, it may not be noticable without some sort of goggles or mask.\n\nDuring the act of crying, an excess of water and salt (the same liquid that normally coats your eyeballs) in excreted (produced) in your tear ducts around your eyes. Outside the water, you notice the buildup as it falls down your face. However, in the water you do not experience the noticable tear because it is dissipated into the water almost as fast as it is made.\n\nBelieve it or not, your body actually attempts to sweat in hot water (ie, hot tubs, etc). However, you do not notice this sweat because it becomes part of the water as soon as it reaches the skin surface.  Tears under water act in the same way.
600591
during digestion the body produces gas and if you don't fart you'll be in alot of pain, that's one reason why babies cry alot is because they have gas
1174818
Crying is a natural thing and sometimes it 's healthy to cry.\nConcerning the embarrassing side of the fact i think everyone has the right to be ridiculous or act as an idiot.\n\nAll you can do during this time is waiting for the tears to dry or move away...
687076
Sorry he made you cry....\n\n::Jumps out of window because a male cried watching Dr. Phil::
798104
What? Onions? \n\nI've heard of salty or bitter but never onions. Regardless, this may be a sign that you both have immune systems that are too similar. That is natures way of trying to insure that we mate with people that have different genetic to heighten the probability of passing the best possible diverse genetic material and repelling us from mating with someone that have similar genetic traits.\n\nOr maybe your girlfriend rubs onions all over herself before you come over. And since you've never said anything, she thinks you like it :)
99608
Oh I cry for any reason at all! Even when I'm really angry I just cry. I think happy tears flow more easily because we LET them come. Tears for sorrow are reluctant tears.