There's a reason you cry during every musical. And it has a name.

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I have this very specific and also very embarrassing memory of being 14 years old and watching the Cronulla Sharks play in the NRL grand final. We had all of our friends and family over for a barbecue and dressed ourselves (and our dogs) up in jerseys. When they won, I burst into tears.

Now seems like a good time to mention that I don't actually care about the NRL. I enjoy getting together and watching socially, but as for whether they win or not, it really doesn't affect me. So I was always very confused about my emotional reaction to this win.

Watch: The things that shouldn't be embarrassing but definitely are, on Mamamia Out Loud. Post continues below.

Years later, I still cry at the end of every musical (when they all do their bows — I'm a mess), I cry watching flash mob videos, I cry in our office kitchen when we gather to farewell someone leaving the business.

And… hear me out on this one, but yes, I cried at that video of Gal Gadot and the other celebrities singing 'Imagine' in their mansions over Zoom back in 2020.

I always thought I was just an overly emotional person. An empath! But to be honest, I don't cry that often other than in these moments, so it wasn't adding up.

Well, it actually turns out there's a very real explanation for my constant tears. And it has a name.

Allow me to introduce you to 'collective effervescence'.

The term was first coined by sociologist Émile Durkheim in the early 1900s, and it basically means the phenomenon of the joy and emotion we feel when a group of people come together as a collective to share a common purpose.

Instead of being an individual, you're now a part of something. And that is a beautiful thing. So beautiful, in fact, that our emotions can often not stay in our bodies and come out as a big blubbering mess right there in the movie theatre watching the Wicked cast singing 'One Short Day' when they get to Emerald City.

@bigbootyjerry45

Probably gonna cry later tonight too #fyp

♬ original sound - GAY TIMES

When you get into the nitty-gritty of the psychology behind collective effervescence, the act of coming together as a group and leaving your sense of self behind actually fulfils a basic human need of community. And in a time when most of our connection comes through a screen, this can come with a lot of big feelings, given the rarity of it.

And if you're not a crier, well, you can still experience this through goosebumps or just the swelling in your heart that you get when you stop being 'you' for just a minute and become a 'we'.

It's ingrained in us as people. And it came well before the Treblemakers final number in Pitch Perfect (at least that's when I noticed it).

You can see it in the Elvis fans sobbing in the audience, Kate and Will's Royal Wedding, the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve.

I asked around the Mamamia office to see if it was just me who is guilty of feeling the big feels and — while some people said I sounded unhinged — here's what people said about their own experiences of collective effervescence.

"I cried multiple times during the Taylor Swift concert, just the way everyone was singing together and sharing friendship bracelets, I couldn't help it."

"I cried at Disney on Ice."

"The last song of every concert gets me."

"Last week I saw a flash mob in the flesh and I cried! I don't know what it was exactly, but probably a mix of the courage it takes to get out there and perform in public and people in awe all around them, and this beautiful, connected community they're a part of."

"When I go to my kids' assemblies, I cry during the children's performances."

"I cry watching Māori sports teams do the Haka. Every time."

"I literally cried listening to a pub choir."

"I feel it when I'm in my spin class and we all have to start going uphill."

Listen to the full episode of Mamamia Out Loud, what women are actually talking about. Post continues below.

And my personal favourite, "I cry when everyone moves out of the way for emergency services to get past on the roads. I know it's the law and everything – but it's so nice seeing everyone work together to get someone the help they need faster."

So, next time you find yourself getting a little wobbly in a crowd, just know that you're not alone.

Take a look around, there's probably some other criers in the collective amongst you. I'm getting a bit teary now just thinking about it.

Feature image: Supplied.