I just happened to stumble across this question, and I am compelled to answer because I actually got two different male viewpoints on this recently, entirely by accident.
I will preface this by saying that, while I actually find my eyes leaking fluid on a fairly regular basis (those sad puppy commercials get me as much as anyone), I’m a generally bawl-free person.
So, on a particular occasion when I managed to put myself in a situation where I was so upset that I had a full-on cry, the kind that causes hiccups and red eyes and mucous coming out of the nose (you all know what I mean), there were two men who encountered me.
My husband’s reaction: sadness, anger, helplessness
(He was sad I was crying, but angry I had even let it get to that point without talking to him, and helpless to get it to stop.)
My coach’s reaction: empathetic curiosity
(Any emotion, positive or negative, is an opportunity for learning. Finding the emotional trigger helps you take control.)
I have a feeling that most men fall into my husband’s category – but my coach’s approach was definitely more helpful 😉
Originally Posted: https://www.quora.com/What-do-men-think-when-women-cry
Originally Posted On: 2015-04-18