eli5- Why do we have a painful “ball” in our throat when we are sad, but trying our best to squash it?

Question

eli5- Why do we have a painful “ball” in our throat when we are sad, but trying our best to squash it?

In: 31

Answer 1

I don’t remember having this issue as a child. This is a real thing as an adult.

Maybe it’s cultural? My dad died when I was 12, and I never cried again until I was 24 (memorial service for a friend in Amara, Iraq). Maybe it’s a Western thing that men don’t cry. We just get that ball.

To be clear, I’m happy to be wrong. Women and actually functional men weigh in here. I’m a terrible example of a man, so better men, please weigh in.