What do you do when someone starts crying??

United States
September 21, 2008 8:18pm CST
I notice that everyone reacts and responds differently when someone begins to cry. I want to know what it is that everyone does. Think back to the last time someone you know (or didnt know) began to cry. Did you pretend not to notice? Did you get angry, or embarrassed? Did you console them verbally, physically? Did you whipe away their tears? Did you not know how to react?? I think I would react differently if, for example, my mother were crying, than I would react to my boss crying. I would feel more uncomfortable around the boss, and maybe not know what is acceptable to do in such an emotional moment (and I don't mean if they were crying because a hammer just fell on their head or something....which in that case I would be dialing 911)
1 person likes this
21 responses
@skbh12 (2946)
• Philippines
22 Sep 08
[b]hi suckerupper! when i happen to see somebody cry and especially a friend who is very close to my heart, i react to it easily. i run after that person and try to get to know what has caused her to cry. i don't like seeing my friends or people i love the most cry especially when those tears are not coming from joy but from sadness and sorrow. i normally wipe out their tears and give them a hug. i also offer them my handkerchief so she can wipe it out herself if she has nothing on hand. [/b]
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Sep 08
Aww that is very sweet of you!
@ElicBxn (63233)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I don't respond the same if the person is a co-worker or stranger than I do if they are a friend/family. It also depends on the person, some like to be hugged, comforted, others don't want it - they think they are being weak.
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Sep 08
Crying to me is just a natural part of being human. I don't see a need to get angry at the person or embarrassed by the act of another crying. I will give that person a listening ear or a hug if they are needing it, and it don't matter if they are family, friends, or someone I had never met before previously. I know it can be awkward at times to go up to someone we never met, or like you say a boss and let them talk about personal matters, but sometimes they may not have someone else they can talk to or cares enough to even listen. I may not have any advice to give, but in most cases people have still walked away with a smile on their face, cause I took time out from my own life long enough to just listen.
• United States
22 Sep 08
Guess I'm lucky in the aspect of not running into people that cause a scene..lol I can see how that would be a tad embarrassing when out in public, in privacy not so much. I try to make it a thing to smile at everyone I run into whether out for just a walk or shopping, even smile at those that look like they are ready to tear of the head of anyone that looks at them the wrong way. Life isn't so bad that we can't all be a little bit nicer to each other, whether it be just a smile or lending an extra ear when those around us are down.
• United States
22 Sep 08
the only reason i can think of that someone would be embarrassed by someone crying is if this person is clinging to you only and causing a scene and there are other people around watching the drama, but i've only ever seen anything like that on tv. I wish people were more nice to strangers, i walk around and some people just look so misserable. Or if I smile and say hi to someone they just keep on walking, maybe they didnt think i was actually talking to them heh. (that really has nothing to do with crying)
@apples99 (6556)
• United States
22 Sep 08
Well, my usual reaction to someone crying is to first ask the person whats wrong, then i usually give them a hug or try and talk it out with them, and hope that it helps them to calm down, but to be honest it sometimes it makes me feel a little uncomfortable when i see someone crying, because sometimes you just dont know what the right thing to do is, some people dont like to be huged or dont want to talk about there feelings so sometimes you just have to give them there space and hope that they feel better.
• United States
23 Sep 08
exactly apples, i find that i start to feel more and more uncomfortable and don't know what to do anymore when people begin to cry in frot of me...
• Philippines
22 Sep 08
Evertime i saw a person crying, i always make her/him happy. Because i don't want to see anyone to be sad or crying.
• United States
22 Sep 08
When I see a lady friend cry because of a lost boyfriend/husband (usually the case)..I would laugh and tell her to stop or I take a video of her crying. I would tell her to watch the video 20 years from now, when the guy is bald, wrinkled and fat / maybe married somebody else then she would say "ewehhh, why did I cry over this ugly..EC^&GH$%#"...maybe at that point you would hate yourself to have cried this way...I remember a good very beautiful friend whose husband left her for her ugly housemaid and she called me to tell me the sad news..I told her "Really? we need to celebrate...that's one good riddance!!! He is not worth crying for baby...your free!!!...so we did, she had a total makeover (change dress style, cut hair, do make up...she became more beautiful that she had lots of executive suitors, so much so that his ex husband would not go near her because he would look like a laborer beside a movie star...he was ashamed...really...
• United States
22 Sep 08
I am the type of person to always asks whats wrong???And usually say don't cry your going to make me cry.I usually give them a hug and say it will be ok.If they started crying over the phone I'd react the same just couldn't give the hug.I feel bad even when it has nothing to do with me or even if I don't know the person crying.
• India
22 Sep 08
Hi Friends, I would feel pathetic if someone cries around me. I would console them in an empathetic manner. I would like to share their problem so that i could help them in the best manner possible.
@GemmaR (8517)
22 Sep 08
I don't know, I guess that would depend on who they were and why they were crying. If it was one of my close friends I would go and put my arm round them and ask them what was the matter, and then try my hardest to solve whatever problem they might have had at the time. If it was someone I didn't know, I would probably try and ask them what was the matter, and I would help them if I thought I could and it was appropriate for me to do so.
@belk89 (1103)
• Philippines
22 Sep 08
What i usually do when someone crying is i comfort them. I dont actually comfort just anybody though...lol If it is my boss i would rather just let my best cry and do my work. I normally dont know how to react when my boss is the one getting too emotional. But if it is a friend or a family members i usually comfort them and talk to them about the reason why they cry. Sometimes by just listening to them would helps a lot to make them feel better.
• United States
22 Sep 08
Well it depends if its a child i would ask politely whats wrong and shiit like that but if it is a grown pereson i would probably juss kep my head down and just let him c ry it out and just give a few words at a time to get hime to calm down a lllit bit
22 Sep 08
I will go her/his side and ask her/his why she/he is crying.If I can I will try to solve the problem
• United States
22 Sep 08
When i do try to to make them feel better if somethign is bad happen in my family or friends
@esilanna (168)
• Malta
22 Sep 08
cry - a crying face
Hello mylotting friends!!! In a situation when someone cries in front of me, I feel very upset and sad. I always feel confused in such a situation. I always try to comfort the person in question with words. Happy mylotting!!!!
• Philippines
22 Sep 08
i lend my shoulder to him/her.... i will give him a big hug.... i will comfort him but i think i will be crying as well because my heart is so soft when it comes to that situation. i will talk to him/her verbally, i will listen carefully afterward i will give him/her an advice and counsel him to their home...
• India
22 Sep 08
First i will watch them and i must understand there is a reason wothout reason no body cry. so i will find out root cause of that problem and accordingly i can give good solution's to them. thanking you, N Nageswara Rao
• United States
22 Sep 08
If they're crying about something stupid, or whining, then I get annoyed and sometimes angry. However, if they have a good reason to cry, I try to comfort them.
• United States
22 Sep 08
I cry too, am a very empathetic person. On the other hand if the person is crying uncontrollably then I feel it is my duty to be strong for them and hug them until they are calm and we can talk about it.
• China
22 Sep 08
If someone starts crying,I will give him or her some consoling words. And I will tell him that "Don't cry,happiness is very important for you."
@Zafran (3)
• Pakistan
22 Sep 08
First i know whats a problem of crying than i solve the problem and than stoing his crying.
22 Sep 08
When a friend cries in front of me i feel too much sryy for them.I try to calm them down by making a stupid joke aur by acting foolsih. And yeah i do get angry if they dont calm down by any of these things. And when someone unlnown cries in front of me i feel TOTALLY embarressed. I dunt do anything accept for feeling sorry for them. I dont even react. Just sit there n stare them...:)