There's A Reason Why Having A Cry In Your Car Hits Different

Person crying in carAfter spending years on dating apps in a major city, I now have a pretty extensive personal list of the best places to cry in London. My favourite is a tree-covered perch above an Islington bridge on the Regent’s canal. It’s private enough that you’ll likely go unnoticed, but positioned well enough that you can enjoy a dramatic, leafy vista as you sob. But I only turn to this because I can’t drive. Because let’s face it: the best place to have a good cry is your car. Why, though? We spoke to Dr Jordan Conrad, a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical director of Lexington Park Psychotherapy, just what it is about entering your vehicle that seems can make a mini-menty B so tempting.It’s a place to switch off and be unseen Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr Conrad said that the simple logistics of privacy have a lot to do with it. “At work, or in the city, or with family or friends, many people feel they have to be ‘on’ – they have to be presentable or at least put together,” he said. “But, for many people, one’s car feels like an auxiliary home - it feels private, familiar, and containing. So after a long day or a painful argument, entering your car can feel like entering a private moment.” Not only is the place really personal, but you’re literally locked away from others, he continued. “Nobody can enter without you letting them in, and so it feels ok to cry, to scream, to be angry, to be a mess.” Then, there’s the fact that your car can give you a space to process a long, hard, or exhausting day. “The fact that after you open it and sit down, there is a moment – after you have closed the door but before you’ve started the engine – where you are alone and separated from the outside world, can give you the emotional space to actually feel whatever has just happened outside,” Dr Conrad continued.When is crying in my car concerning?There’s no “normal” amount to cry, and letting your emotions out can be healthy.But the NHS says that if you’ve been feeling low most of the time for two weeks or longer, you should consider seeing your GP.This is especially true, the health service adds, if it affects your work or relationships and if it’s getting worse. Help and support:Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email [email protected] Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.Related...I'm A Family Therapist, Here's Why You Should Never Say 'Stop Crying' To KidsI Thought Somatic Therapy Was Fake — 'Til I Started Crying In Yoga ClassThis Is Why You Might Feel Like Crying When You're Angry

Comments

Breaking news

Brit gamer watches friend 1000miles away killed by ‘complete stranger’ on livestream

Metro

Comments

Breaking news

Brit gamer watches friend 1000miles away killed by ‘complete stranger’ on livestream

Daughter heard mum beg for life before killer beat her to death on Ring doorbell

‘Most beautiful killer in the ocean’ closes seven-mile stretch of beaches in Spain

Exact date London Underground workers will stage seven days of strikes revealed

Wired and Business Insider remove ‘AI-written’ freelance articles

Women are flocking to DC for a historic pro baseball tryout. Here are some players to know

Major retailers warn Reeves tax rises in autumn could push up prices

US applications for jobless benefits rise last week, but layoffs remain historically low

Tesco raises price of meal deal by 25p

Pope Leo’s first international trip could be to Lebanon, cardinal says

White House tours cancelled to make way for construction of Trump’s ballroom

Irish leaders welcome clarity on EU-US trade deal and pharma tariffs cap of 15%

What the UK’s migration numbers really show

Behind 'Splitsville,' the year’s funniest relationship comedy

Israel’s Gaza City invasion: What is Netanyahu’s plan and what happens next as new assault launched

Experienced skydiver fell 15,500ft to her death after relationship ended, coroner finds

As Epping case could bring migrant hotel use to an end – where else can asylum seekers go?

Netanyahu pushes forward with Gaza City operation despite opposition

At the US Open, tennis stars shine under dark sky-friendly outdoor lights

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow casts doubt over peace talks after bombing US factory in new wave of strikes

In a tough job market for new workers, networking and adaptability can make a difference

Gaza war latest: Israel launches invasion as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians set to flee Gaza City

Explosion at Pakistan fireworks storage facility injures at least 25 people

Trump nominated US Attorney mysteriously resigns after just a month on the job

Iran's navy launches country's first military drill since 12-day war with Israel

James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, has died

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, aka Sincaraz, rule men's tennis as the 2025 US Open arrives

Sony raises the price of the Playstation 5 in the US

Alex Jones says Trump is in a ‘health crisis’ after noting the size of president’s ankles

Terrifying clip of child riding bike on busy Scots road sparks fear online

Skydiver who fell 15,500ft took own life hours after split with boyfriend

SNP spent over £100,000 on luxury motorhome seized by police

Google Pixel 10 range includes upgrades, high-end designs and new colours

Charity TechFest launching design competition for S4-S6 students to inspire next generation of entrepreneurs

Bin lorry driver who killed schoolboy cyclist after failing to check road dodges jail

'Breathtaking' seven-bed farmhouse with pool can be yours from just £19,000

Previously unreleased Beatles tracks to feature on new Anthology collection

Airdrie poet Len Pennie and Captain Dugwash service nominated for Scots Language Awards

'Genuinely elite': Top chef raves about supermarket sandwich - but has very different view of QR codes

Newborn baby found dead in storm drain as police issue major update

West Lothian town among first to see plans for national 20mph speed limits

'The man I loved collapsed in my arms' Heartbroken partner sobs during Tony Ferns murder trial

MSP charged with possession of indecent images urged to stand down from Holyrood committee

Child assaulted by stranger at Glasgow Central as police hunt man 'who got train to Dalmuir'

Skydiver Jade Damarell ‘deliberately fell 15,500ft to her death’ after relationship ended

Facial recognition cameras rolled out at Notting Hill Carnival will ‘breach human rights’

‘Trump’s sanitising history for his own power – we’ve moved beyond an Orwellian world’

Beaver released back into the wild dies because of UK’s prolonged dry weather

LEGO's Latest Sets Have Landed – But You'll Want To Be Quick If You Want To Bag One

There's A Reason Why Having A Cry In Your Car Hits Different

Robbie Williams Reveals Where His Relationship With Oasis Stands Now

WH Smith shares tumble after £30 million accounting error

China and Pakistan foreign ministers agree to launch new economic corridor projects

Chancellor will have to raise taxes despite lower borrowing, say economists

Microsoft employees among 18 activists arrested for Gaza protest outside of tech giant’s HQ

Walmart reports solid second-quarter sales and profits despite a challenging tariff environment

Is empathy a sin? Some conservative Christians argue it can be

Puerto Rico's schools are unequipped to cope with ever hotter heat waves

Cracker Barrel outrages conservatives with new logo: ‘This is your Bud Light moment’

How to speak Trump: World leaders are bringing gifts and stroking president’s ego to get access ... and their way