There are times when I get the urge to just sit and cry. After a good cry, I feel very good and can go on as normal. I cannot think of anything or anyone in my life that would be causing this to happen to me. What can I do about this condition? I am 20 years old and teach elementary school.

Z.

I can't make specific recommendations about your situation without talking with you personally. But if a client described a similar pattern of crying and relief, I'd want to know how often it occurred, and whether he or she saw it causing any problems.

It's natural for people to cry sometimes, of course, and most people feel a sense of relief or release after doing so. I've even heard that tears shed out of sadness or other emotions contain different chemicals than do tears shed for different reasons -- such as chopping onions or getting something in one's eye. If that's true, it might provide tangible evidence of the cleansing nature of a good cry.

If someone is crying often, however, I might start to wonder if there's something in his or her life that's upsetting them or prompting the tears. I might also process with him or her how stressed he or she feels in general. If we're experiencing a lot of physical or emotional stress (or both), we're more likely to be bothered or upset by things that we might otherwise shrug off. For example, someone who's working a lot of overtime, getting little personal leisure time, and not eating or sleeping well might burst into tears at the remark or action of a friend that normally wouldn't bother her.

You ask what you can do about your crying. Well, if it's an occasional thing and is not interfering with your life or work, one possibility is to view it as a natural expression of your psyche's healing or cleansing process. I'd recommend continuing to do a check for whatever might trigger the crying, though, so you can become aware of anything that may be hurting, angering or irritating you. (That includes looking at and, if need be, adjusting your overall stress level.) If your crying spells are interfering with your life in some way, continue to puzzle you, or are accompanied by trouble sleeping, eating, or accomplishing the things you want or need to do, consider consulting a licensed psychologist or professional counselor in person so you explore your situation in more depth. Good luck.