In an era of quantified self-tracking, one TikTok user took emotional inventory to an extreme level, meticulously logging every single time she cried throughout 2025. The final tally? A remarkable 168 individual cries. This viral revelation has sparked a nationwide conversation about the vast spectrum of human emotional expression, challenging rigid norms about what constitutes 'normal'.
The Data of Tears: From Daily Criers to Dry Eyes
The creator, known as @smallex4ft11, shared her 'Sobbify Wrapped' data with followers, providing a startlingly detailed look into a year of emotion. Her stats included a longest crying streak of four days and a longest dry spell of 30 days. On her most emotional day, the tears flowed seven separate times.
For many, like 27-year-old Londoner Mia Frank, the data felt relatable. "I'm pretty sure I could cry on command if I started thinking about 'Wicked'," she admits. From Nora Ephron films to seeing an elderly man dine alone, Mia finds herself welling up frequently, viewing tears as a necessary emotional release. "If I don't cry I feel stuffed up and stressed," she explains, crying on average three times a week.
Conversely, 33-year-old Med Abdallah represents the other end of the spectrum. Shaped by childhood messages that 'boys don't cry', he learned to suppress tears. "When my mum passed away, I felt everything, but the tears just didn't come," he shares, highlighting that deep feeling doesn't always manifest as crying.
What the Experts Say About Crying Frequency
Psychologist Madeleine Roantree cautions against judging emotional health based on tear frequency. "We tend to assume that crying a lot means a person is unstable... but these are too rigid views," she states. She explains that how much someone cries depends on a complex mix of personality, upbringing, hormones, stress, sleep, and cultural expectations.
GP Dr Donald Grant reinforces this, noting there is no set number of times people should cry. He emphasises that crying should occur naturally; the beneficial hormone release associated with tears only happens properly when it's not forced. The key takeaway? Regularly crying doesn't signify weakness, and rarely crying doesn't indicate coldness.
Finding Your Emotional Baseline
The core advice from professionals is to understand your own emotional baseline. What is typical for you? For Jess Winthrop, 26, also from London, crying several times a week is a source of strength. "Once I've finished crying I feel like I can move on and be stronger," she says, crying from both sadness and joy.
For others, like 26-year-old Ethan Holden, the body processes intense emotion differently—through headaches, for instance—rather than tears. The consensus is clear: the healthy choice is the one that feels authentic. Whether you're someone who, like Mia Frank, gets misty-eyed over a mother duck and her chicks, or someone who navigates life's highs and lows with dry eyes, the spectrum of human emotion is broad and valid.
