It is believed that tears provide an outlet to painful and sad emotions. People suffering from any trauma are asked to cry to ease their pain. But sometimes people feel worse after crying rather than feeling comfortable. Recent research revealed that level of comfort or discomfort experienced after crying depends on the surroundings at the time of crying.

Psychologists Jonathan Rottenberg and Lauren M. Bylsma analyzed more than 3,000 recent crying experiences (outside of lab). Data analysis showed that majority of respondents felt better after crying. However, a third of the study subjects had no improvement in mood and a tenth felt worse after crying.

The survey also revealed that criers who received social support during their crying episode were the most likely to report improvements in mood.

Researchers found that crying in a lab setting often results in the study participants feeling worse. They believe that this may be due to the stressful conditions of the study itself, such as being videotaped or watched by research assistants. Researchers concluded that social support during their crying leads to improvements in mood.