Ever since I (F22) started dating my girlfriend (F20) (almost 1.5 years ago) I’ve noticed that I cry a lot more. Like a LOT more.
To be clear, she has been nothing but wonderful and supportive and she has changed so many things for the better for me. She gives me space to be vulnerable and feel safe and she actually puts in the effort to try to understand me even when I know that it isn’t always the easiest (long history of mental illnesses, etc.)
I’ve never been much of a crier. Throughout my childhood and teens, I could go for years without crying and the few times I did cry, it was because of academic stress. Crying from emotional or physical pain was extremely rare for me and I can honestly count on one hand the instances that it has happened.
Then when I started dating my girlfriend, it’s like some mechanism in my brain unlocked and crying just comes so much more easily and with much fewer/less intense triggers. Even just thinking about how much she cares about me and wants to be there for me can make me start tearing up.
The intensity of emotions isn’t necessarily something new to me, but the crying response definitely is.
Has anyone else had this or a similar experience? Is this something that should be concerning or is it something good? Both?
My increased rate of crying hasn’t really affected me in a negative way, just a little jarring sometimes because it’s something out of my control.
TLDR: Been crying a lot more since I started dating my girlfriend. I get emotional when things like her caring about me and wanting to be there for me come up, whether in conversation or just in thought. Should I be concerned or is this just part of a “healing” process?