The final and third type is the most interesting. Emotional (or psychic) tears are triggered by exceptionally strong feelings, both positive (joy and excitement, for example) and negative (sadness, anger, and fear etcetera). Experts aren't exactly sure why humans have evolved to express our emotions via the medium of salty eye water. However, there are a few potential explanations.[...]
Another reason could be that welling up offers some kind of release for physical and emotional pain. All tears constitute some mix of water, salt, oil, and germ-killing enzymes but those that stream down our faces when we're emotional or in pain contain higher levels of various stress hormones and feel-good chemicals, including one called leucine enkephalin, which is an endorphin and natural painkiller. This pleasing combination of oxytocin and endorphins could explain the concept of a "good cry".[...]
However, when we are upset or otherwise emotional, we can produce half a cup (or more) of tears in just minutes. This essentially overloads the system so that instead of draining through the puncta, tears roll down our cheeks. It is also why crying can make our nose run.
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