Crying

Before my injury I wasn't someone who cried all that much. I did used to, though it took quite a lot of pain and upset for the tears to flow. Therefore it was only my close friends and family who witnessed it.

That's not to say I had any trouble with people who did, we're all different in so many ways...

In the nearly 17 years since I fell, I have cried just once. Only one time. When? I was actually watching a documentary on the tv about a young boy who had cancer. The parents then described what happened when he finally died. Without even thinking, tears ran down my face. I then realised what was happeneing.

I find it so strange that I don't cry anymore. I don't have an urge to cry at all, yet things feel so tough at times. I should look and see what it is in our brain that triggers that reaction...

Here’s what I’ve found online :

Why we cry

“The limbic system, particularly structures like the amygdala and hypothalamus, plays a crucial role in controlling crying and emotional responses. The amygdala helps coordinate responses to emotional triggers, while the hypothalamus regulates bodily responses associated with emotions, including tear production. The limbic system also interacts with the Pons, which relays signals to the lacrimal system to produce tears.”

Crying in response to TBI

“People may cry less after a brain injury because the injury can damage brain regions responsible for emotional processing and expression. This can lead to reduced emotional reactivity, flat affect, or difficulties with facial expressions, potentially making it harder to cry.”

“Brain injuries, particularly those affecting the prefrontal cortex, limbic system, and cingulate cortex, can disrupt the pathways that regulate emotional responses. These areas are involved in evaluating emotional situations, translating emotions into behaviour, and regulating emotional expression.”

Now that’s interesting because for me, it was the front of my brain that suffered the injury – that’s where the prefrontal cortex is. I wonder whether that’s why my tears don’t flow anymore…