# Why do people cry?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-cry/421193>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 1, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-cry/421193 "2007-10-01T20:06:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-cry/421193/1 "2007-10-01T20:06:12Z")

</div>

Not what makes them cry, but why when I cry does my breathing become erratic and why do my eyes tear? What is the purpose? Also, how do I find out if anyone else has already asked this question?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-cry/421193/2 "2007-10-01T20:08:51Z")

</div>

Why?

Most are Ravens and Chargers fans I think.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-cry/421193/3 "2007-10-01T21:56:34Z")

</div>

Don’t know, but I read somewhere that some other apes cry the way we do. Gorillas, I think it was.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-cry/421193/4 "2007-10-01T22:01:13Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=copperwindow]  
Also, how do I find out if anyone else has already asked this question?  
[/QUOTE]

You ask me. I posted a thread on this last year.

[Here you are.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=377078)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-cry/421193/5 "2007-10-01T23:39:21Z")

</div>

[Tears of emotion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tears) have a different make up from those caused by irritation.  
IIRC, emotional tears contain, rather than toxins, excess catacholemines.