[FearandLoathing40]

Does this happen to anyone else?
I mean sporadically and inconveniently. I was paying for my groceries at Walmart and here came tears just flowing. Not sobbing, but waterfall's. Wiping my face frantically with my hands while the cashier asked if I was ok. In the waiting area of the salon with people starring. WTH?
I've been having ridiculous anxiety recently, but never had this before

[Moose72]

I've cried and laughed at the same time in public.

[TishaBuv]

I have cried buckets, but always for extreme provocation. I don’t think I’m bipolar, was diagnosed emotional dysregulation disorder. Interestingly, Buspar has miraculously helped the severe crying and deep depression.

Other than expected places/reasons, I guess I've cried a little bit twice in public. Maybe more times that I've forgotten about. Usually I pull myself together before really seeing anyone, but a couple times cashiers or others have noticed. I usually just say something that kind of ends the questions. I don't know, like maybe "I'm just a little stressed (or sensitive) today."

I'm not a frequent crier. That doesn't mean I don't cry when really bad things happen, but crying is not commonplace for me. Occasionally there will be a trigger that gets to me. For example, I remember once going through the grocery store and out of the blue, a silly song my mother used to like started to play. It's not a song that I would ever expect to be playing in a grocery store. That sort of added to the trigger.

What I do MUCH more often in public than crying is going into rants or anger outbursts.

I remember after my divorce over twenty years ago i sobbed on my way out of the mall and not just quiet tears either, loud braying sobs. It's funny to think of it now, how no one said anything, no one would come near me. But of course it was very painful at the time. Mostly people don't ask me what's wrong, even if i cry in a support group. I guess i just have a bearing which says, "Leave me alone."

[*Beth*]

Sometimes crying like that can indicate a neurological issue. Here's an article (not long):

I Can’t Stop Crying: Why We Cry and When to Seek Help

Admittedly, no, I have not done this before.

Are you seeing a psychiatrist or a therapist right now? If you are, can you bring this problem up with them? It sounds like maybe your current coping mechanisms aren't working very well and maybe you need new ideas to manage these symptoms.

Sorry to hear you're struggling like this, though. No one deserves to go through this, and I am sad to hear that so many of us have to deal with this. I hope you find solace soon.

[sophiebunny]

I spent half of my shul service yesterday weeping. Maybe it was the Rabbi's sermon. Maybe it was that I'm in trauma and everything makes me weep. It is embarrassing though. I know almost everyone in the congregation. We are small. I don't want to be the "what's wrong with----" conversation.

[cashart10]

Not often. It happened once right after my first miscarriage and it has happened a few times while extremely manic and my emotions just got out of hand. Of course, I’m not much of a crier either.

[Rick7892]

Last January, I was 71 years old. I am a male and I was brought up to not cry, especially in public. Even crying when I am alone is very rare for me, though therapists have encouraged me to do so.

Long story short, in a first visit, a PDoc told me to stop my Lamotrigine "cold turkey," which I knew would not work for me because I am sensitive to most meds and to change in meds. I had also been on it for over 5 years. I tried a 25% reduction and at 3 weeks, I was getting a routine x-ray, when I started sobbing uncontrollably in front of the female technician for no reason that I could see. She was kind and said she has anxiety and tried to get me to breathe calmly. The next thing, a male technician also came in, so she evidently called for help. Embarrassing, shame...

I left a basket case and made an emergency visit to my therapist. I broke down and sobbed in the waiting room in front of the female receptionist. My female therapist came and I broke down again. In all these cases, there was no reason for crying and especially sobbing. I was fortunate that all these people were comforting and patient and it happened with people in the healthcare profession, who would be more understanding. I am grateful that it didn't happen in the general public like at the grocery store. But the shame I felt and still feel was/is immense.

I restarted my original dose and haven't had another episode since then. Not even crying by myself.

For me, this event was one of the lows of my life. It taught me the power of psych meds to have such an effect in trying to discontinue them. In writing this, I realize how much it still bothers me. The anniversary of that day is coming up in a few weeks.