Can't cry. Baffled

I've never been the sort of person who easily cries (other than at cruelty to animals and children), but not at things that are "about me". When younger and in the early years of marriage I did cry at times when my DH upset me, but he recoiled from tears like someone had shot him, and the most I ever got from him was a pat on the shoulder when I really needed a loving hug. But his mother was a constant wailer so I think he was somewhat immune from tears. That said, he is quite a thoughtless man, doesn't see why he might have made someone cry and usually turns it round on the weeper so that they feel they are in the wrong for being unreasonably sensitive. That's only my interpretation of course, he would deny it were true, but has no other explanation for his reaction to tears.

I never EVER saw either of my parents cry.

I do, however, get very upset about some things in my life, such as my eldest DD and her poor health at age 45, and my youngest DD who, at 42, is about to attempt her fourth round of IVF. But I cry alone, cos DH never shows much interest.

Quite sad, really.

I was brought up in a family where you didn't cry, you just had to get on with life. I think that has stayed with me into adulthood. I can feel intense emotion or sadness but seem unable to cry. Strangely, the only three times I can remember sobbing are when my dogs died. My friend of 35 years was with me when I took the last one to the vets and she was shocked when she saw me sob. She said through all the really bad things that had happened to me she had never seen me cry.
Other people seem to be able to cry at will. It might come across as cold but I feel things very deeply just have that inability to let go and sob. I've been in tremendous emotional and physical pain but still the tears don't flow.

I have recently realised that I don’t cry nearly as much as I used to. I, too, wondered if I was growing harder or more unfeeling. Whatever the reason, I do find it strange.

Please make an appointment with your gp.
There are two types of macular degeneration
Wet eye degeneration and dry eye degeneration.
I suspect that you may have dry eye degeneration.Your gp would be able to advise you . I have seen dry eye degeneration in my family , my grandmother had dry eye degeneration!

I have the opposite problem I cry over silly things, I’ve always been sentimental but but I’m 66 and getting worse

I don't cry either & I wish I did. I'm sure it's not medical, it's emotional. If I'm really upset for a long period my head feels full of tears, they're there but don't come out.

I used to cry when I was angry, thwarted & felt powerless, but I guess I don't feel this way so often now. I haven't cried when sad for 40 years, but children singing can make me feel "weepy".

It's a phase I expect. I'm a very emotional person but this happened to me when I was in a life stage where I was bottling up lots of feelings (and having panic attacks instead). Having got rid of the main problem tears flowed again. Hope they soon do for you - but for all the right reasons!

Get your eyes checked out.

Dry eyes become very common as we age.

Can also be caused by certain medications.

I've had 'dry' eyes for in excess of forty years. Dry eyes do not prevent emotional tears from flowing.

Never was a big crier, you didn't in my family and got on with things, then when my father died I seemed to cry for weeks, when my husband died and it seemed forever I cried myself to sleep, I would be out shopping or a meal with people and just wanted to be home and cry, used to think I would die of a broken heart. However, everything passes on and you learn to cope with the new normal.. Can’t watch the news and see the suffering in the countries at war and the hardships without shedding a tear, so I try to avoid. A child goes missing or dies and that starts me off. Beautiful music brings a tear to my eye. I
do wish I didn't feel so much.
💐 for Kate and Andrea you're brave people and made happy lives despite your early years.
IamMaz, it is so hard for you for you now, i know how I was when my first marriage broke up, I was young and 2 young children, all my friends married, I thought I can’t do this alone,
then I was told do just one day at a time, many times just an hour, things got easier but my life changed and my vision of the future. I eventually got a better one, no one knows whats round the next corner.

Thank you Allsorts. It can be tough this life that's for sure. for those struggling.

No

Yes. I have had this problem for years, as does a friend of mine. We put it down to the antidepressants we are taking.