salutations

Don't acknowledge it.

Just. I know you can't stop yourself from crying and your voice from cracking and your hands from shaking. If you're with someone you trust, I'd suggest asking for a break- tears mean you're reaching a breaking point, it means your body is trying to relieve the immense pressure.

But if you're not just... Don't acknowledge your own crying. Treat it like a sneeze or a cough. Keep talking through your tears, maintain eye contact. If your voice cracks, clear your throat, say "excuse me" and move on. Take deep breaths. Try and consciously relax your muscles one by one.

The worst part of crying during an argument is the feeling of being invalidated because of it and for me, specifically, it has helped so much to just not give the other person the chance to even bring it up. If they say "you're crying" I say "yes. Anyway" and keep talking about my main argument. I don't acknowledge them. We move on.

me: yes

*lighting appears*

me: yES

*thunders explode*

me: YES

*raining intensifies*

also me: