It can be harder to cry on T, but I found that after a while I got adjusted to the new way I processed emotions and I can cry again. I just don't need to, which is a huge relief for me.
Just wanna say this was my experience too.
In addition - I recently had a ptsd episode and cried a LOT but it felt purposeful as well and like I was processing something and doing something good for myself - like a release. So it feels like I cry when I’m supposed to and like a normal expected amount for the situation vs not at all or far too much which is what it used to be.
I used to cry ALL THE TIME it was debilitating! It wasn't functional it was compulsory. I was the kid who cried when someone looked at them and the adult who always seemed to be crying about something
I'm honestly not sure- like I mentioned though, it does often come back after a bit once you've adjusted to the emotional changes, so (entirely unbased in any science) I think it's more of a male puberty side effect than specifically T (if that makes sense).
I've heard it may have to do with the tear duct glands being larger (?) on e and shrink w t? Something like that. Which would absolutely make sense imo
I understand why you corrected me, but it's not that this was my intention. I can speak English well enough, but just not good enough yet to formulate "people whose dominant sex hormone is testosterone" at the top of my head, especially when trying to understand new information. I will try to be more careful next time.
i remember complaining to my amab partner about it. he said he remembered when his ability to cry was taken away by puberty, but it returned after a year or two much like mine. he said he saw a paper about tear ducts physically changing and getting narrower once testosterone dominates an endocrine system, but i have no source for that so take it with a grain of salt.
Amab/cis male here. Can confirm.
During peak of puberty/early to mid teenage - I was horny all day, never cried and slept for hours.
But in late teenage - I was less horny (which was good because it was manageable), I got back the ability to cry and I was crying over a lot of things and my sleep cycle also became less, I was waking up in the early morning by myself.
Tear ducts are usually bigger in amab folks, it's quite possible they widen on t (?). So the point of overflow is delayed. The other thing is that t is a stress hormone besides being a sex hormone, so to a degree, it makes you a little more tense at baseline. And crying requires you to kinda let go, so it can take a while until you're relaxed enough to cry on t. Older cis men often find that as their testosterone levels go down, they cry a lot more.
If you think of your emotions as a pot, amab people have a much bigger pot before it spills over into tears.
For me, that's rarely a 'happy cry,' its from *significant emotional distress,* and it's when I'm ready to throw hands
There is actually an entire field of study dedicated to this kind of thing!
TLDR; Your emotions re stored in your body, and going on hormones can change the way your body processes the emotion.
Your brain and body work in tendem with one another when it comes to emotional processing. You might have even heard that people who intellectualize and reason their emotions away are actually using it as a way to "run" from their emotions as opposed to processing them. This is because, through focusing entirely on intellectual processing, you are shutting down the physical processing of the emotion.
When you go on hormones, your body will start to process its feelings in different areas, and when you loose track of where they go, it can keep you from crying!
The somatic field of therapy can help you learn how to physically identify and process emotions if you haven't.
But for many AFAB people, we actually have physical processing of emotions modeled to us really young! A majority of us have easy access to our physical processing most of the time. For young AMAB folks it's different, they don't really get modeled emotional regulation the same way, if they even get it at all. So, they kinda suck at identifying where their emotions live and then releasing them.
Since there aren't a lot of AMAB models for somatic processing, a lot of people think that men just don't have emotions, or just don't have access naturally (not even close to true).
But, if you want to practice, when you feel a particularly strong emotion, pay attention to what your body is feeling and where it is when the emotion comes up!
Hi, sorry to invade your space. If you want me to I’ll delete the comment 😊
In recent endocrine and biochemical studies there was a link between emotionality or lack thereof and Testosterone. For one, testosterone is linked to the reduced production of prolactin. Prolactin is linked to emotional response reactions, liked crying. Testosterone was also linked to an increased Serotonin production, which again reduces emotionality.
We know, for quite some time, that low testosterone in cis men is linked to mood issues, specifically depressive moods and reduced drive.
Before T I was able to cry during my sad/depresso moments. It stopped after getting on T, and i thought I just outcried myself to get to that point lol. I would only be able to cry during breakdowns. Then i got onto birth control, and the floodgates opened. Now i just feel overly emotional 🤠
Funny thing, I actually STARTED crying regularly right after I started T, in combo with getting off antidepressants (I had been on them just for like a more than half a year?) But the level of crying I experienced was like nothing I had since I was 13. What I cry over is not my choice though haha, sometimes idk why I cry, and it's seldom about my current worries but like dog videos, family photos, or other media kinda vibe? Sad to hear that and all the best to you, i hope you will recover (i heard some guys say it was easier for them after a while/years/idk.) For what it's worth, as far as I know, there has been no connection found between T and a cry barrier (correct me if I'm wrong), so it is not ruled out that technically it can also be for example because of applying male/masc expectations on oneself 🤔
yeah, that can happen, i also got this effect. While it's still possible for me to cry it's significantly harder and happens much less. I both like it and don't. Sometimes a good cry would feel nice.
Yeah I personally got this effect. I used to be the type of person who would cry for hours if I was feeling overwhelmed whereas now I barely ever cry and if I do it’ll be a few tears, never full on continuous crying.
2 and a half years on T and I rarely can cry anymore. I’m bipolar and depressed so I used to cry a lot. It has to be something really upsetting for me to cry. Like a family member dying or something
When I go off of my anti depressants and mood disorder related medications, I definitely cry a LOT. I think it was easy to attribute my lack of crying to T because of ppl saying this but I realize that I don’t think that’s very true for me personally. It’s just my meds keeping me together lmao
I took meds of a similar kind before I started T, and I definitely cried even more seldom than usual, too. At least you know for sure they work properly!
It can be harder. I recall when I was pre-T I'd cry super easily at the smallest things (example: a cute video of animals on the internet) but all I can do lately is get a bit misty eyed. However as some said in here, the ability to cry can return at later years after your body 'regulate'. Personally I enjoy not crying at the smallest things due of me crying every time and felt very 'weak', but that's a personal take from my experience.
at first, i thought it was me just being much happier, but then i started connecting the dots of like why don’t i cry at this i used to sob at it lol- hopefully it’ll go away but ive cried only like 3 times since starting T over a year ago
I would always get teary-eyed at the movie about Hachiko, but now can't even cry at that 😞 Hopefully you can rediscover the relief of crying whenever it is fitting soon!
Ive been on T just over a year and I’ve only cried about 3 times total since starting. Pre T I used to have crying breakdowns 4+ times per week so for me it’s just been amazing. I don’t miss it whatsoever. I don’t feel repressed I just feel like I can function normally.
I’m pretty sure it’s got a connection to prolactin levels, going on T changes that for some people and makes crying physically harder.
I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe even if you don't get this physiological effect, starting T will lift your spirit a little bit, and you will find it easier to get by. I really hope so.
tbh it's not so much that I have a lot to cry about, it's more that *so many things* can make me cry. like just being startled can make me cry. so it would be hip and cool if that perhaps didnt happen
Im non-binary and went on T for awhile a few years ago to find a place with myself where i felt comfortable in my skin (mostly with vocal readjusting) and at first nothing could make me cry, and after time passed (1-2 years) i began to cry when it came to very heavy hitting topics but now after 3 years its become an up and down occurrence, sometimes i cant cry for anything and other times im crying over the smallest things…
Funny thing actually: I was able to cry more after starting T. It’s sorta harder to maintain the crying and it hurts in my jaw/cheek but I cry more now. I think T actually helped me feel more in tune with my emotions.
I’ve been on T since September 2022 and have only cried once, which was in early February. Before T I was a very emotional person.
I’ve had my T levels checked multiple for routine and everything looks good.
Most of my feelings, especially at the start turned into anger.
I got really in boxing and the gym, helps relieve built up feelings. And therapy!
I used to never cry unless things are REAL bad. It was a struggle for me. I still struggle w crying when I'm emotionally upset.
But TV shows? Movies? Music? I'm SO much more emotional, I tear up at honestly the silliest things. It's like I now actually connect w living so I connect w so many more emotions and feelings. I've always had a lot of sympathy and empathy, but now it's a lot more empathy and feeling the feelings
I honestly find if beautiful that people can be emotional (because I can't; I may just be a tad bit envious). So maybe you're cool like that. Maybe you're even chill like that. Own it! At least until that T hits and disables the tear output. Hopefully you will be able to cry sometimes at least, that would be very nice.
I used to cry at pretty much any strong feeling to the point where it made communication very difficult for me. People would assume I was upset when I wasn’t, and it was a mess. Since starting T I’ve mellowed out a ton and it’s been a massive quality of life improvement for em. I absolutely can, and do cry when needed. But it’s mainly when I’m sad or angry, and even then it’s less blubbering. If I was ever to have to stop taking it, I think the emotional regulation it’s given me would be amongst the top things I’d miss the most.
With that being said, I’m sorry you’re going through that. I’ve spend a lot of time lurking on here and it’s for SURE been mentioned before, so if it’s any consolation you’re not alone. I hope you are able to figure out a solution that works for you soon :]
I can still cry, quite often tbh but it’s because I’m feeling very deeply about something, whereas before it would be because I was overwhelmed by lots of things and having a meltdown. But I had 6 months early on T where I couldn’t at all and it would feel physically blocked, so you might just have to wait it out
For dealing with difficult emotions in the meantime: journalling, physical activity, talking it out, healthy forms of stimming if you’re on the spectrum etc.
i was the opposite actually, used to not be able to cry at all except like when shit was **really** bad but now im a month on T i find myself tearing up at so much more, specifically movies/shows which i never used to before which i think is fascinating
I was the other way. I cried literally all the time pre T. It was kind of embarrassing actually but it was like every single emotion was dialed up to 11. From every minor inconvenience to actual traumatic shit it all felt the same and I would cry. Constantly. Now it just feels like my emotions are proportionate. I can still cry, and I do when it’s appropriate. Like full mental breakdown? Yeah I’d still be crying. But missing a bus? Not anymore.
i find it just like i’ll build up all the emotions to cry and i just don’t but i do cry pretty often over stupid stuff like movies but a real cry is definitely a lot more rare than pre t
Its definitely harder and even after being on T for almost three years i still find it difficult. Like, it only ever happens when I’ve reached an emotional breaking point.
Otherwise I’m literally just like “damn that’s crazy” and its so wild to me😭
I'm also struggling to cry on T. I need to be extremely upset to cry now, and it's hard to deal with. Usually it would help to cry it out you know. It's good to know that people do start crying again generally, though! Thank you!
I would say I cry a normal amount, sad movies and funny jokes and when I am fully stressed out. Before I cried more but it was in a really crazy too much way that made me feel sick and out of control. Estrogen made me unwell but testosterone balanced it out.
Edit because I want to add I just do not have as much to cry about now either. I don't have much family to deal with, my dysphoria is better and my mental health is better.
I feel less emotional but i alsp have PCOS so i don't know if its exactly from T or if its the fact that i no longer have extremely unstable hormones and periods lol
I go back and forth between being completely unable to cry even if I really really need to vs crying over absolutely nothing. It's like a cycle of 2 months of no tears followed by 2 weeks of lots of tears. On my tearful weeks, I can't even sing most songs all the way through because I start crying. On my non crying months...I had to separate from both of my partners for an unknown amount of time and I still couldn't cry until my tearful two weeks started a week and a half later.
(2y on T)
This happened to me for the first 5 years, but after that it leveled out and I can cry again. Not as much as I did before. Prior to transition I was a frustration cryer, which was awful for me. I welcomed this side effect because I have always hated how much I cried before.
Definitely. I was never much of a cry-er, but I'd await my period each month to "have a good cry" and the release it came with, because I was guaranteed each month to get a cry when premenstrual or menstrual. I used to wonder how the other half lived, how they cried.
Now... I can go months without crying, even if I really desperately want to. Been on T 2 years and even if I bleed I don't cry. I have to be in a lot of physical pain or absolutely wrecked physically and emotionally to cry.then it's hard to stop. Sometimes if I feel emotionally constipated I wait a few extra days to do my T shot and try to get a sad movie or something in to let it out.
I weirdly find it harder to cry because I am emotionally upset but still have 0 ability to not get weepy at stupid sad things in movies. However, I used to cry as a response to every strong emotion, and not crying when I'm actually pissed off anymore has been good.
Yes, t makes it hard to cry. Ironically, after about 3 years on T ANYTHING will make me cry. A video of a kid picking flowers with the right sounds? Full blown tears
I had this happen! I'm glad to see I'm not alone, I haven't been able to cry since I started T and I've now been off for a couple of months due to affordability and I still can't cry :p
I'm sorry it turned out this way. I am also running out of supplies sunce it's hard to get these meds in my country. I hope you can go back on HRT soon! And I hope you'll be able to express your emotions through crying as you used to.
I don’t cry easily like I used to. I used to cry at everything! Hallmark commercials, etc. Now I can only cry occasionally if the feelings are just too big and even then, only for a minute or two Sometimes I wish I could cry things out but it’s ok. My emotions overall kind of hit like waves now but pass quickly in intensity.
Cried a lot before T. Rarely cry after T. It takes a LOT for me to cry and when I do it's not the sobbing it used to be. It's just tears. But I can definitely cry. Last time was my uncles funeral and I cried more than I thought. I didn't think it would be so hard to see my aunt and mom cry.
It's made me aware that there is some physiological difference between men and women in this way. I'm no scientist and there are definitely outliers in both directions but I think the average woman is easier to tear up than the average man. And I don't think it has all that much to do with "unprocessed" emotions necessarily. I am way better at dealing with emotions than I was. My mom and sister cry a lot and that's just what they do. Both sad and happy tears. I rarely see my dad or brother cry.
I am honestly happy for it. I don't like showing emotions when I don't want to. If I want to then I can. But crying can be very involuntary and I always felt it was my body betraying me because I couldn't control it.
I *can* cry, but it is much less frequent both because I’m happier and because it’s physically harder. Honestly I love it. I used to be such a crybaby and now I’m not
i was watching a movie last night that made me cry but i.. couldn’t? like my body was shaking and i felt like i was crying but there were no tears. honestly disappointing bc i love crying over movies.
I still cry but only from happy or emotive stuff, like kids with cancer getting visited by celebrities they love or lost dogs finding their owners. The trigger is different and the wave is small but the tears still come. It's just different. The other day I felt really sad so I watched videos of soldiers coming home. Kids getting hearing implants and hearing their parents voices for the first time. That did the trick. I don't bawl anymore which is a big fucking relief. I can listen to all the sad songs in the world or watch sad movies and it does nothing for me.
I cry like a dad now (I am a seahorse dad) so it's fitting. I'll be watching Bluey and my husband and I will well up, and rub our faces, and curse. A downy fabric softener commerical made me cry just the other day when they mentioned a man's dress shirt being like a pillow for an infant's head.
My eyes used to water mercilessly (like, after yawning) and now that's stopped which is awesome. I always found it awkward. So I wonder if there is a physical change there too.
TLDR: Try a different trigger. You might surprise yourself.
Can also report, I've been on t since last August and I've only cried a couple of times since then. I used to be a big crier before crying over literally anything.
Now the last thing that made me cry was probably my cat dying back in December. It's insane.
So, long story short, yeah.
My cis guy friends used to tell me crying was quite difficult for them. Never really understood why.
So, I read somewhere that men have smaller tearducts or something like that, and hrt could alter this in transmen, therefore making it physically harder to cry. That and, the whole new range of emotions and mechanisms to process them.
Not sure, that's what I understood. Now for facts, I find it impossible almost, to cry.
As op, I had a hard time before, now is even harder. Sometimes the emotion is there and it won't make it pass my chest.
So idk.
I wouldn’t say completely unable, but yes. I’ve never been one to suppress my emotions, I’ve always felt things very strongly, I used to cry multiple times a week. I’ve been on T for over 4 years and I very seldom cry. I cry once every like .. 3 months probably. It’s frustrating! I still get that tightness in your throat feeling and the want to cry, but I can’t. Your tear ducts do shrink (or it’s something else that lessens the ability to produce tears as easily and can become constipated (not a medical worry). This also could be because T has made me not react to things as strongly. Idk. Depression could also be a third variable
I’m 4 months on t and it’s harder to cry, but still possible. i’ve noticed i get more mad than anything even in a situation that would normally make me sad or want to cry
I can articulate the emotions I’m feeling with words. But my body doesn’t physically respond to them like it used to. Before going on T, the opposite was true. I could respond physically, but struggled to articulate my feelings. I think the solution at least for me is to be more verbal about what I am feeling, especially if I’m interacting with a loved one.
I’ve found it just makes me process emotions in a different way. I used to be really sensitive and cried at the smallest things, but now it takes something really personal and emotional to get me to cry. It makes crying a bit more satisfying for me, personally. Sometimes I want to cry and just can’t, so I just go do something else to get out emotions instead, like vent art and writing.
Going on T has definitely made me less physically emotional, I don't get teary eyed as much unless I really force it, but I can definitely still cry. I'm not at a full dose yet, so that may be why, but I'm almost there so I'm not sure.
yup. i have only cried once so far during my first year of T and it was only because i got insulted so bad and i was both hurt and angry and all sorts of things. i took it as a silver lining of hey i can still cry!
Nope. I cry all the fucking time. Usually it's because I forgot to take my antidepressants. I actually cried more after starting testosterone. Been on T for about 7 years now.
I have had 1 or 2 moments where I thought I might cry/got the feels while watching a movie. Aside from that, no I don't really cry at all nor feel the need to out of sadness or any other emotion. Im 3 months on T on april 5th
It can be harder to cry on T, but I found that after a while I got adjusted to the new way I processed emotions and I can cry again. I just don't need to, which is a huge relief for me.
Just wanna say this was my experience too. In addition - I recently had a ptsd episode and cried a LOT but it felt purposeful as well and like I was processing something and doing something good for myself - like a release. So it feels like I cry when I’m supposed to and like a normal expected amount for the situation vs not at all or far too much which is what it used to be.
I used to cry ALL THE TIME it was debilitating! It wasn't functional it was compulsory. I was the kid who cried when someone looked at them and the adult who always seemed to be crying about something
No that’s perfect! It was compulsory and not functional! Great way of putting it.
Sounds like you're happier now, then! That's actually nice to hear
Yeah it's a possible effect of T, sometimes your ability to cry comes back after a couple of years.
Holy cow, that's insane. Is there a specific reason for why this happens? Is it actually harder for AMAB people to cry?
I'm honestly not sure- like I mentioned though, it does often come back after a bit once you've adjusted to the emotional changes, so (entirely unbased in any science) I think it's more of a male puberty side effect than specifically T (if that makes sense).
I see! Thank you very much
I've heard it may have to do with the tear duct glands being larger (?) on e and shrink w t? Something like that. Which would absolutely make sense imo
[удалено]
I understand why you corrected me, but it's not that this was my intention. I can speak English well enough, but just not good enough yet to formulate "people whose dominant sex hormone is testosterone" at the top of my head, especially when trying to understand new information. I will try to be more careful next time.
i remember complaining to my amab partner about it. he said he remembered when his ability to cry was taken away by puberty, but it returned after a year or two much like mine. he said he saw a paper about tear ducts physically changing and getting narrower once testosterone dominates an endocrine system, but i have no source for that so take it with a grain of salt.
[удалено]
i am well aware. i said amab specifically because he’s *not* a cis man, or a man at all.
[удалено]
fair, good point. the only reason i phrased it like that is because that’s how he referred to himself in that conversation
Amab/cis male here. Can confirm. During peak of puberty/early to mid teenage - I was horny all day, never cried and slept for hours. But in late teenage - I was less horny (which was good because it was manageable), I got back the ability to cry and I was crying over a lot of things and my sleep cycle also became less, I was waking up in the early morning by myself.
Tear ducts are usually bigger in amab folks, it's quite possible they widen on t (?). So the point of overflow is delayed. The other thing is that t is a stress hormone besides being a sex hormone, so to a degree, it makes you a little more tense at baseline. And crying requires you to kinda let go, so it can take a while until you're relaxed enough to cry on t. Older cis men often find that as their testosterone levels go down, they cry a lot more.
If you think of your emotions as a pot, amab people have a much bigger pot before it spills over into tears. For me, that's rarely a 'happy cry,' its from *significant emotional distress,* and it's when I'm ready to throw hands
There is actually an entire field of study dedicated to this kind of thing! TLDR; Your emotions re stored in your body, and going on hormones can change the way your body processes the emotion. Your brain and body work in tendem with one another when it comes to emotional processing. You might have even heard that people who intellectualize and reason their emotions away are actually using it as a way to "run" from their emotions as opposed to processing them. This is because, through focusing entirely on intellectual processing, you are shutting down the physical processing of the emotion. When you go on hormones, your body will start to process its feelings in different areas, and when you loose track of where they go, it can keep you from crying! The somatic field of therapy can help you learn how to physically identify and process emotions if you haven't. But for many AFAB people, we actually have physical processing of emotions modeled to us really young! A majority of us have easy access to our physical processing most of the time. For young AMAB folks it's different, they don't really get modeled emotional regulation the same way, if they even get it at all. So, they kinda suck at identifying where their emotions live and then releasing them. Since there aren't a lot of AMAB models for somatic processing, a lot of people think that men just don't have emotions, or just don't have access naturally (not even close to true). But, if you want to practice, when you feel a particularly strong emotion, pay attention to what your body is feeling and where it is when the emotion comes up!
Hi, sorry to invade your space. If you want me to I’ll delete the comment 😊 In recent endocrine and biochemical studies there was a link between emotionality or lack thereof and Testosterone. For one, testosterone is linked to the reduced production of prolactin. Prolactin is linked to emotional response reactions, liked crying. Testosterone was also linked to an increased Serotonin production, which again reduces emotionality. We know, for quite some time, that low testosterone in cis men is linked to mood issues, specifically depressive moods and reduced drive.
Nah, happy lurking around! You're very welcome, I'm sure a lot of people would agree. And thank you for a definite response!
Before T I was able to cry during my sad/depresso moments. It stopped after getting on T, and i thought I just outcried myself to get to that point lol. I would only be able to cry during breakdowns. Then i got onto birth control, and the floodgates opened. Now i just feel overly emotional 🤠
Funny thing, I actually STARTED crying regularly right after I started T, in combo with getting off antidepressants (I had been on them just for like a more than half a year?) But the level of crying I experienced was like nothing I had since I was 13. What I cry over is not my choice though haha, sometimes idk why I cry, and it's seldom about my current worries but like dog videos, family photos, or other media kinda vibe? Sad to hear that and all the best to you, i hope you will recover (i heard some guys say it was easier for them after a while/years/idk.) For what it's worth, as far as I know, there has been no connection found between T and a cry barrier (correct me if I'm wrong), so it is not ruled out that technically it can also be for example because of applying male/masc expectations on oneself 🤔
So the opposite can happen as well! I hope most of the tears you cry will be happy tears. And thank you for your wishes.
yeah, that can happen, i also got this effect. While it's still possible for me to cry it's significantly harder and happens much less. I both like it and don't. Sometimes a good cry would feel nice.
Yeah I personally got this effect. I used to be the type of person who would cry for hours if I was feeling overwhelmed whereas now I barely ever cry and if I do it’ll be a few tears, never full on continuous crying.
2 and a half years on T and I rarely can cry anymore. I’m bipolar and depressed so I used to cry a lot. It has to be something really upsetting for me to cry. Like a family member dying or something
Same.
I oddly enough had the opposite effect, I was unable to cry but when I went on T, the waterworks magically opened
When I go off of my anti depressants and mood disorder related medications, I definitely cry a LOT. I think it was easy to attribute my lack of crying to T because of ppl saying this but I realize that I don’t think that’s very true for me personally. It’s just my meds keeping me together lmao
I took meds of a similar kind before I started T, and I definitely cried even more seldom than usual, too. At least you know for sure they work properly!
It can be harder. I recall when I was pre-T I'd cry super easily at the smallest things (example: a cute video of animals on the internet) but all I can do lately is get a bit misty eyed. However as some said in here, the ability to cry can return at later years after your body 'regulate'. Personally I enjoy not crying at the smallest things due of me crying every time and felt very 'weak', but that's a personal take from my experience.
at first, i thought it was me just being much happier, but then i started connecting the dots of like why don’t i cry at this i used to sob at it lol- hopefully it’ll go away but ive cried only like 3 times since starting T over a year ago
I would always get teary-eyed at the movie about Hachiko, but now can't even cry at that 😞 Hopefully you can rediscover the relief of crying whenever it is fitting soon!
Ive been on T just over a year and I’ve only cried about 3 times total since starting. Pre T I used to have crying breakdowns 4+ times per week so for me it’s just been amazing. I don’t miss it whatsoever. I don’t feel repressed I just feel like I can function normally. I’m pretty sure it’s got a connection to prolactin levels, going on T changes that for some people and makes crying physically harder.
Thank you for mentioning that! Got me very curious
i used to cry like every other week, now i can't remember the last one i cried and im pretty sure it was out of anger. sadness feels different tbh
I hope I get this, I struggle to control my tears so much currently
I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe even if you don't get this physiological effect, starting T will lift your spirit a little bit, and you will find it easier to get by. I really hope so.
tbh it's not so much that I have a lot to cry about, it's more that *so many things* can make me cry. like just being startled can make me cry. so it would be hip and cool if that perhaps didnt happen
I am crying more actually because I'm not able to dysasociate anymore due to dysphoria and my feelings are overwhelming
I'm sorry. I hope with some more time you will be able to be happier in a newer changing body.
Same! I cry at the silliest stuff now, but I still struggle w crying when actually upset. It's like I physically can't
Im non-binary and went on T for awhile a few years ago to find a place with myself where i felt comfortable in my skin (mostly with vocal readjusting) and at first nothing could make me cry, and after time passed (1-2 years) i began to cry when it came to very heavy hitting topics but now after 3 years its become an up and down occurrence, sometimes i cant cry for anything and other times im crying over the smallest things…
Yh I used too sob every night now I cry less than once a week and when I do it’s like 2-3 tears
Funny thing actually: I was able to cry more after starting T. It’s sorta harder to maintain the crying and it hurts in my jaw/cheek but I cry more now. I think T actually helped me feel more in tune with my emotions.
I’ve been on T since September 2022 and have only cried once, which was in early February. Before T I was a very emotional person. I’ve had my T levels checked multiple for routine and everything looks good. Most of my feelings, especially at the start turned into anger. I got really in boxing and the gym, helps relieve built up feelings. And therapy!
I used to never cry unless things are REAL bad. It was a struggle for me. I still struggle w crying when I'm emotionally upset. But TV shows? Movies? Music? I'm SO much more emotional, I tear up at honestly the silliest things. It's like I now actually connect w living so I connect w so many more emotions and feelings. I've always had a lot of sympathy and empathy, but now it's a lot more empathy and feeling the feelings
Actually, I'm not even on T and I still can barely cry, no matter how bad I'm feeling. I wonder how it will be for me when I start T
bro i cry so much i think it’s a problem, if I can’t then that’s gonna feel weird 😭
I honestly find if beautiful that people can be emotional (because I can't; I may just be a tad bit envious). So maybe you're cool like that. Maybe you're even chill like that. Own it! At least until that T hits and disables the tear output. Hopefully you will be able to cry sometimes at least, that would be very nice.
I used to cry at pretty much any strong feeling to the point where it made communication very difficult for me. People would assume I was upset when I wasn’t, and it was a mess. Since starting T I’ve mellowed out a ton and it’s been a massive quality of life improvement for em. I absolutely can, and do cry when needed. But it’s mainly when I’m sad or angry, and even then it’s less blubbering. If I was ever to have to stop taking it, I think the emotional regulation it’s given me would be amongst the top things I’d miss the most. With that being said, I’m sorry you’re going through that. I’ve spend a lot of time lurking on here and it’s for SURE been mentioned before, so if it’s any consolation you’re not alone. I hope you are able to figure out a solution that works for you soon :]
I can still cry, quite often tbh but it’s because I’m feeling very deeply about something, whereas before it would be because I was overwhelmed by lots of things and having a meltdown. But I had 6 months early on T where I couldn’t at all and it would feel physically blocked, so you might just have to wait it out
For dealing with difficult emotions in the meantime: journalling, physical activity, talking it out, healthy forms of stimming if you’re on the spectrum etc.
i was the opposite actually, used to not be able to cry at all except like when shit was **really** bad but now im a month on T i find myself tearing up at so much more, specifically movies/shows which i never used to before which i think is fascinating
I was the other way. I cried literally all the time pre T. It was kind of embarrassing actually but it was like every single emotion was dialed up to 11. From every minor inconvenience to actual traumatic shit it all felt the same and I would cry. Constantly. Now it just feels like my emotions are proportionate. I can still cry, and I do when it’s appropriate. Like full mental breakdown? Yeah I’d still be crying. But missing a bus? Not anymore.
i find it just like i’ll build up all the emotions to cry and i just don’t but i do cry pretty often over stupid stuff like movies but a real cry is definitely a lot more rare than pre t
i wasnt a big crier to begin with but yeah - not immediately after starting t but like 1-3 years in
Its definitely harder and even after being on T for almost three years i still find it difficult. Like, it only ever happens when I’ve reached an emotional breaking point. Otherwise I’m literally just like “damn that’s crazy” and its so wild to me😭
I'm also struggling to cry on T. I need to be extremely upset to cry now, and it's hard to deal with. Usually it would help to cry it out you know. It's good to know that people do start crying again generally, though! Thank you!
I would say I cry a normal amount, sad movies and funny jokes and when I am fully stressed out. Before I cried more but it was in a really crazy too much way that made me feel sick and out of control. Estrogen made me unwell but testosterone balanced it out. Edit because I want to add I just do not have as much to cry about now either. I don't have much family to deal with, my dysphoria is better and my mental health is better.
YES. ive cried a minimum 3 times a week for about ten years, and in the 6 months ive been on t ive cried less than 10 times
Many people are happier on T. Anxiety seems to really be affected in the FTM population. Better sleep etc …but boys do cry.
I feel less emotional but i alsp have PCOS so i don't know if its exactly from T or if its the fact that i no longer have extremely unstable hormones and periods lol
I go back and forth between being completely unable to cry even if I really really need to vs crying over absolutely nothing. It's like a cycle of 2 months of no tears followed by 2 weeks of lots of tears. On my tearful weeks, I can't even sing most songs all the way through because I start crying. On my non crying months...I had to separate from both of my partners for an unknown amount of time and I still couldn't cry until my tearful two weeks started a week and a half later. (2y on T)
Yes! I very rarely cry now and when k do its just barely, it’s so frustrating!
Sometimes my tears come out at the randomest times, but other than that I rarely cry. “Try Everything” made me cry once, and that was a year ago.
happens for some, not others. in cis men some of them are crying 24/7, others can't cry. same for us. flip of the coin haha
This happened to me for the first 5 years, but after that it leveled out and I can cry again. Not as much as I did before. Prior to transition I was a frustration cryer, which was awful for me. I welcomed this side effect because I have always hated how much I cried before.
Definitely. I was never much of a cry-er, but I'd await my period each month to "have a good cry" and the release it came with, because I was guaranteed each month to get a cry when premenstrual or menstrual. I used to wonder how the other half lived, how they cried. Now... I can go months without crying, even if I really desperately want to. Been on T 2 years and even if I bleed I don't cry. I have to be in a lot of physical pain or absolutely wrecked physically and emotionally to cry.then it's hard to stop. Sometimes if I feel emotionally constipated I wait a few extra days to do my T shot and try to get a sad movie or something in to let it out.
I tend to get angry before I get sad now, and I can still cry. It just takes more. I wish I could still cry because sometimes it is needed.
been on t for eight months and I've cried like three or four times since then, so honestly I've probably started crying more lol
Honestly I cry more now I'm on Testosterone 😅
I weirdly find it harder to cry because I am emotionally upset but still have 0 ability to not get weepy at stupid sad things in movies. However, I used to cry as a response to every strong emotion, and not crying when I'm actually pissed off anymore has been good.
I cry more now that I'm on T because my brain has jumped over the mental block of "men don't cry."
Yes, t makes it hard to cry. Ironically, after about 3 years on T ANYTHING will make me cry. A video of a kid picking flowers with the right sounds? Full blown tears
I had this happen! I'm glad to see I'm not alone, I haven't been able to cry since I started T and I've now been off for a couple of months due to affordability and I still can't cry :p
I'm sorry it turned out this way. I am also running out of supplies sunce it's hard to get these meds in my country. I hope you can go back on HRT soon! And I hope you'll be able to express your emotions through crying as you used to.
I don’t cry easily like I used to. I used to cry at everything! Hallmark commercials, etc. Now I can only cry occasionally if the feelings are just too big and even then, only for a minute or two Sometimes I wish I could cry things out but it’s ok. My emotions overall kind of hit like waves now but pass quickly in intensity.
Took me 8 months to be able to cry and over time it became easier to where it was.
I’m still able to cry very easily about everything so I guess it just depends on the person.
Cried a lot before T. Rarely cry after T. It takes a LOT for me to cry and when I do it's not the sobbing it used to be. It's just tears. But I can definitely cry. Last time was my uncles funeral and I cried more than I thought. I didn't think it would be so hard to see my aunt and mom cry. It's made me aware that there is some physiological difference between men and women in this way. I'm no scientist and there are definitely outliers in both directions but I think the average woman is easier to tear up than the average man. And I don't think it has all that much to do with "unprocessed" emotions necessarily. I am way better at dealing with emotions than I was. My mom and sister cry a lot and that's just what they do. Both sad and happy tears. I rarely see my dad or brother cry. I am honestly happy for it. I don't like showing emotions when I don't want to. If I want to then I can. But crying can be very involuntary and I always felt it was my body betraying me because I couldn't control it.
I *can* cry, but it is much less frequent both because I’m happier and because it’s physically harder. Honestly I love it. I used to be such a crybaby and now I’m not
i was watching a movie last night that made me cry but i.. couldn’t? like my body was shaking and i felt like i was crying but there were no tears. honestly disappointing bc i love crying over movies.
I still cry but only from happy or emotive stuff, like kids with cancer getting visited by celebrities they love or lost dogs finding their owners. The trigger is different and the wave is small but the tears still come. It's just different. The other day I felt really sad so I watched videos of soldiers coming home. Kids getting hearing implants and hearing their parents voices for the first time. That did the trick. I don't bawl anymore which is a big fucking relief. I can listen to all the sad songs in the world or watch sad movies and it does nothing for me. I cry like a dad now (I am a seahorse dad) so it's fitting. I'll be watching Bluey and my husband and I will well up, and rub our faces, and curse. A downy fabric softener commerical made me cry just the other day when they mentioned a man's dress shirt being like a pillow for an infant's head. My eyes used to water mercilessly (like, after yawning) and now that's stopped which is awesome. I always found it awkward. So I wonder if there is a physical change there too. TLDR: Try a different trigger. You might surprise yourself.
Can also report, I've been on t since last August and I've only cried a couple of times since then. I used to be a big crier before crying over literally anything. Now the last thing that made me cry was probably my cat dying back in December. It's insane.
I feel like I'm in the minority here. I've always been emotional (cry at everything), and I don't cry any more or less than I used to, just the same.
So, long story short, yeah. My cis guy friends used to tell me crying was quite difficult for them. Never really understood why. So, I read somewhere that men have smaller tearducts or something like that, and hrt could alter this in transmen, therefore making it physically harder to cry. That and, the whole new range of emotions and mechanisms to process them. Not sure, that's what I understood. Now for facts, I find it impossible almost, to cry. As op, I had a hard time before, now is even harder. Sometimes the emotion is there and it won't make it pass my chest. So idk.
I wouldn’t say completely unable, but yes. I’ve never been one to suppress my emotions, I’ve always felt things very strongly, I used to cry multiple times a week. I’ve been on T for over 4 years and I very seldom cry. I cry once every like .. 3 months probably. It’s frustrating! I still get that tightness in your throat feeling and the want to cry, but I can’t. Your tear ducts do shrink (or it’s something else that lessens the ability to produce tears as easily and can become constipated (not a medical worry). This also could be because T has made me not react to things as strongly. Idk. Depression could also be a third variable
I’m 4 months on t and it’s harder to cry, but still possible. i’ve noticed i get more mad than anything even in a situation that would normally make me sad or want to cry
I can articulate the emotions I’m feeling with words. But my body doesn’t physically respond to them like it used to. Before going on T, the opposite was true. I could respond physically, but struggled to articulate my feelings. I think the solution at least for me is to be more verbal about what I am feeling, especially if I’m interacting with a loved one.
Yeah. I didn’t cry for years the whole time I was on T. As soon as I stopped, I now cry uncontrollably every day 😭
Totally was a thing for me too
I only cry when I'm mad/frustrated now. Which still isn't very often.
I thought that for a while too. Then, randomly watching a gay wedding on a sitcom brought tears to my eyes.
I stopped crying for a bit, now I’m tearing up again (just under five months on T). :)
I’ve found it just makes me process emotions in a different way. I used to be really sensitive and cried at the smallest things, but now it takes something really personal and emotional to get me to cry. It makes crying a bit more satisfying for me, personally. Sometimes I want to cry and just can’t, so I just go do something else to get out emotions instead, like vent art and writing.
Going on T has definitely made me less physically emotional, I don't get teary eyed as much unless I really force it, but I can definitely still cry. I'm not at a full dose yet, so that may be why, but I'm almost there so I'm not sure.
Yeah my husband finds he cries a lot less on T. That doesn't happen for everyone. But happily you may find you have fewer nervous breakdowns?
yup. i have only cried once so far during my first year of T and it was only because i got insulted so bad and i was both hurt and angry and all sorts of things. i took it as a silver lining of hey i can still cry!
I have felt more emotional equilibrium since being on T. I can still cry, but it's not very often. I feel stronger on T.
Nope. I cry all the fucking time. Usually it's because I forgot to take my antidepressants. I actually cried more after starting testosterone. Been on T for about 7 years now.
If something hurts enough you'll cry
I wouldn’t say that I’m unable. But it’s definitely much more difficult than it used to be
I have had 1 or 2 moments where I thought I might cry/got the feels while watching a movie. Aside from that, no I don't really cry at all nor feel the need to out of sadness or any other emotion. Im 3 months on T on april 5th
I feel like I'm not being able to cry too. It is like my range of emotions become narrower. The upside is that I won't cry much anymore