Failed romantic love can be extremely painful; people with a broken heart may succumb to depression, anxiety and, in more extreme cases, post-traumatic stress disorder.
Experiencing the loss of a relationship due to a breakup or death is traumatic. People will likely feel strong emotions immediately following this trauma. According to the National Institute of Mental Health , these reactions are intense and can last for several weeks or months.
These traumatic aspects can contribute to the development of acute stress disorder, which can occur less than 1 month after a cardiac event, and/or PTSD or symptoms of PTSD, which can occur at least 1 month after a traumatic event, as has been recently shown for MI [6] and may be the case in CTR induced AMR.
The trauma of heartbreak can affect many aspects of a person's life. Heartbreak can obliterate our sense of self and how we see the world and others. Researcher and author Sheri Jacobson stated that going through heartbreak is similar to coming off drugs.
The bad news: Broken heart syndrome can lead to severe, short-term heart muscle failure. The good news: Broken heart syndrome is usually treatable. Most people who experience it make a full recovery within weeks, and they're at low risk for it happening again (although in rare cases it can be fatal).
In terms of physical pain, women averaged 4.21 versus men's 3.75. While breakups hit women the hardest emotionally and physically, women tend to recover more fully and come out emotionally stronger. Men, on the other hand, never full recover -- they simply move on.
Other fMRI studies have highlighted that the experience of heartbreak can activate the same brain mechanisms that are present when addicts are facing withdrawal from substance abuse. These powerful symptoms can impact our ability to think, focus and even function from day-to-day in the broadest terms.
In some studies, the emotional pain people experienced was rated as equivalent to “nearly unbearable” physical pain. Amongst these, other effects of heartbreak include; increased stress, reduction or increase in weight, feeling of hopelessness, self-deprecation, depression and even suicidal thoughts.
Broken heart syndrome, also known as stress cardiomyopathy or takotsubo syndrome, occurs when a person experiences sudden acute stress that can rapidly weaken the heart muscle.
The loss triggers a stress response, and in the initial aftermath of a breakup, you can be left reeling from the impact of this shock. The impact of cortisol, a key stress hormone, can be incredibly disruptive. It can create unpleasant side-effects, such as digestive problems, aches and pains.
A person with a broken heart often has episodes of sobbing, rage, and despair. They may not eat or sleep for days and may also neglect their personal hygiene.
The intense pain of a broken heart is believed to be part of the survival instinct. The "social-attachment system" uses the "pain system" to encourage humans to maintain their close social relationships by causing pain when those relationships are lost.
Stressful life events, like a breakup, can trigger depression. But it's possible to have depression-like symptoms without having a mood disorder. It's important to know what symptoms to look for.
New research shows heartbreak may cause lasting damage that can increase the risk of developing other heart-related conditions in the future. A recent study from researchers at the University of Aberdeen found that so-called “broken heart syndrome” can leave physical scars that never disappear.
Give yourself three months to begin to heal
One study, which evaluated 155 undergraduates who'd been through breakups in the last six months, found that 71 percent start to feel significantly better around the 11-week mark, or around three months.
Situational depression can be triggered by big life events. The end of a relationship can cause huge levels of stress, emotional distress and upset. The breakdown of a relationship can lead to big life changes, which not only feel overwhelming but which you may feel like you have to face alone.
In younger people - teenagers, or those in their twenties or thirties - the hormone are more intense and all over the place when falling in love. "So the heartbreak, after passionate love, may feel like it lasts longer because it goes beyond only fairly fleeting brain chemicals," the neuroscientist explains.
If you're wondering, “do guys hurt after a breakup?” The answer is yes. But if you're waiting for him to approach you about it to talk, you're waiting on a lost cause.
When it comes to breakups, we tend to think that women are devastated while men quickly move on. But a new study from researchers at Binghamton University and University College London reveals that breakups actually hit men harder than women.
We are all hardwired to fear rejection. When a loved one dies we do not (usually) experience rejection, so it is easier to cherish all the wonderful memories you had together. However, when it comes to a relationship breakup, it is very painful to cherish these memories.