Cross Examining Psych Doctors - Tip #51-Sadness and Crying are Normal and Not Necessarily Indicative of Psychopathology

In reading medical-legal reports one frequently finds that physicians will list complaints and observations of the patient that are made during the face-to-face interview that include sadness and tearfulness.  In this regard, it should be noted that a reading of page 355 of the DSM-IV-TR and page 168 of the DSM-5 reveals that those manuals explicitly state that, “periods of sadness are inherent aspects of the human experience.” As such, any observations of sadness and related behaviors are not necessarily indicative of psychopathology.  Clearly, while it may be tempting to equate sadness, tearfulness and crying with psychopathology, it should be noted that these behaviors are well within the realm of normal human behavior and not necessarily indicative of pathology.  Individuals may cry for a variety of reasons, including being reasonably, normally, understandably, and expectably upset by physical difficulties, occupational problems and life circumstances. 

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