How do you keep yourself from crying?


Quick Answer

When you want to stop yourself from crying, the best thing to do is to remove yourself from the situation that's causing the emotion, calm yourself, and find an appropriate distraction. If you can't remove yourself from the emotional situation, simply allow yourself to cry without feeling bad or embarrassed.

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Full Answer

  1. Step away from the situation

    The first thing to do when you feel the tears welling up is to step away from the situation. Physically remove yourself by taking a step backward, putting a little bit of distance between yourself and whatever is causing you to feel upset. This small distance can help you think more clearly about the problem at hand.

  2. Stabilize your emotions

    Ground yourself by gently pinching the skin between your thumb and forefinger. For some people, pinching the bridge of the nose, where the tear ducts are, also works. Emotions can run wild and quickly escape your control, so many people find that a sharp sensation can shock them back into reality.

  3. Distract yourself

    Take a brief walk outside, or excuse yourself to go get a drink of water. Getting your body moving, even just to perform simple tasks like these, gives your mind a break from the emotional situation. If you aren't in a place where you can leave the room, take a look out a window and use your thoughts as a distraction, or concentrate on an arithmetic problem or something else that requires mental focus.

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