Depression Symptoms An Overview of Uncontrollable Crying By Arlin Cuncic Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of "Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder" and "7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety." Learn about our editorial process Arlin Cuncic Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on March 11, 2020 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on March 12, 2020 Print Getty / Arman Zhenikeyev Table of Contents View All Signs Causes Side Effects Treatment Coping Have you ever experienced episodes of uncontrollable crying? If so, you might feel worried about why you are crying or feel unable to control it. While crying can be a symptom of some mental health disorders, uncontrollable crying can also be a sign of an underlying neurological issue. As a result, the treatment options and coping strategies that you employ will differ depending on the cause. Signs of Uncontrollable Crying Not sure if your uncontrollable crying is normal or a problem? Have a look at this list of signs that something might be wrong or more than just normal tears: You have uncontrollable episodes of crying, laughter, or bothYour crying seems to happen without an obvious trigger or in relation to something that doesn't seem like a natural triggerYour crying does not seem to relate to feelings of sadnessYour laughter easily turns into cryingYou avoid being around people for fear of crying or having an outburstYour crying episodes are unpredictable Causes of Uncontrollable Crying What are the causes of uncontrollable crying? Crying that is truly uncontrollable is usually a symptom of a brain dysfunction. However, crying can also be a symptom of a mental health disorder. Let's consider each of these in turn. Neurological Causes Uncontrollable crying can be caused by neurological disturbances related to stroke, ALS, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. In fact, 43% to 49% of people with ALS have pseudobulbar affect (PBA), which involves uncontrollable inappropriate crying and/or laughing that can be triggered by anything and interfere with functioning. Many people with PBA are unaware that they have a real condition and rarely complain about their symptoms (so don't receive treatment). Doctors also don't usually screen for PBA because many don't know about it. However, the condition has been documented for over 100 years. There are different theories as to the brain structures that are involved in PBA. One theory is that there is damage to the cerebro-ponto-cerebellar pathways, which adjust laughter or crying to match the situation. Another theory is that there is damage to pathways in motor areas of the cerebral cortex that inhibit laughter and crying. Mental Health Causes Extended crying can also be a sign of mental health issues. Crying can be a symptom of various forms of grief. Acute grief resulting from a situation such as the loss of a loved one is one type. In addition, there is chronic grief, usually related to an ongoing situation in your life (e.g., infertility). In general, crying that is part of grief is only treated if it is considered part of a depressive disorder or is significantly disruptive of one's functioning. Major depression also involves crying; however, it has other features such as sleep issues, lack of enjoyment of usual activities, and appetite changes. PBA is sometimes also mistaken for depression. One way to distinguish them is based on the trigger; PBA seems to lack a trigger or be triggered in inappropriate ways. Effects of Uncontrollable Crying Uncontrollable crying can have negative effects on your life. Below are some of the things you might experience: Social embarrassment over your inability to control your cryingDistress in social situations, the workplace, and with familyFeeling emotionally exhaustedChoosing to isolate yourself due to your cryingChanging your life to avoid things that might trigger your cryingSecondary depression resulting from chronic untreated uncontrollable crying Treatment for Uncontrollable Crying The treatments for uncontrollable crying depend on the underlying cause. Complicated grief and depression are usually treated with therapy and/or medication. PBA may be treated with low doses of tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram or fluoxetine. There is also one drug, dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate (Nuedexta), that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating PBA. It was actually discovered quite accidentally while testing it to treat ALS patients. While it was never approved for ALS, it was later approved for PBA. This drug contains the active ingredient dextromethorphan which is found in many cough syrups; however, you can't self medicate with cough syrup as it has a different formulation. An occupational therapist can also help people with PBA learn how to cope in everyday life. The 9 Best Online Therapy Programs We've tried, tested and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain. Coping on Your Own with Uncontrollable Crying There are also a number of things you can do on your own to cope with uncontrollable crying that is interfering with your life. Below are some ideas: Explain the problem to others so they are not surprised or confusedSpeak to other people with the same problem and ask for adviceDistract yourself with something opposite of crying like having someone tell you a funny jokePractice deep breathing and relaxation techniquesGetting up and walking around to change your positionKeeping a diary of your episodes to track the triggers, length, related emotions, and ill effectsExamine life stresses and how you can address them A Word From Verywell If you are living with uncontrollable crying that is interfering with your daily life, it's important to seek answers from your doctor. If you live with certain neurologic conditions, PBA may be a concern. On the other hand, if you have grief that is adversely impacting your life or a depressive disorder, medication or therapy may help. Regardless of the cause, your doctor will be able to prescribe the best course of action. How Do You Know If It's Grief or Depression? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Everything feels more challenging when you're dealing with depression. Get our free guide when you sign up for our newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Andersen G. Treatment of uncontrolled crying after stroke. Drugs Aging. 1995;6(2):105-111. doi:10.2165/00002512-199506020-00003 Baylor College of Medicine. Pseudobulbar affect DiSalvo D. Not all crying is depression: Understanding pseudobulbar effect. Parvizi J, Anderson SW, Martin CO, Damasio H, Damasio AR. Pathological laughter and crying: A link to the cerebellum. Brain. 2001;124(Pt 9):1708-1719. doi:10.1093/brain/124.9.1708 Univerisity of Utah Health. I cry all the time - am I normal?