Emotional meltdowns: necessary relase or lack of self-control?

I admit it, when something big happens to rock my world, my first reaction tends to be an emotional meltdown. I cry and stress and yell and sometimes even lash out (at my man mostly, I stay far away from the boys when I am feeling this way). I lose my mind for awhile before coming back down to earth and beginning to search for solutions and working to solve the problem. These types of reactions happen only under extreme duress and usually last no longer than 15 minutes or so. What is your reaction to upheavals? How do you view this kind of reaction, over the top hysterics or a necessary stress release?