Ever had a breakup so bad that you thought you actually felt your heart break? You try to self medicate your broken heart with a combination of ice cream, Netflix, and periodic bouts of crying, but nothing eases your pain.
Right now you may feel hopeless and pained. If your body seems to be fighting the breakup and waging war on itself, you could be facing physical pain to match the psychological pain. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re exaggerating these feelings. Breakups and instances of emotional trauma reek havoc on your body. Here are some of the repercussions you may be facing after a serious heartbreak.
First of all, going through a breakup causes a whirlwind of stress and hormones to flood your body. The system in your brain that controls social attachment desperately wants you to continue the relationship. Understanding the evolutionary value of close relationships with people, it pairs up with the pain mechanism in your brain to discourage you from abandoning the relationship.
Studies by Naomi Eisenberger and Matthew Lieberman at the University of California showed that social rejection is associated with the parts of your brain that are responsible for processing pain. Another study from Ethan Kross at University of Michigan showed that, in instances of extreme loss or social rejection, the part of your brain that awakens during painful sensory experiences turns on. Your brain literally puts you through hell just to maintain the relationship.
Unfortunately, your body’s backlash against the heartache doesn’t end there. When you experience a loss such as a breakup, you may experience extreme grief. According to an article by HomeLifeCountry, there’s an extensive list of negative side effects associated with severe grief.
Among these side effects include exhaustion, muscle tightness, insomnia, lack of energy, loss of appetite, overeating, headaches and chest pressure, among others. It seems that our bodies have an entire arsenal of afflictions for us to face in the case of a breakup.
A study done at Stony Brook University showed that similar parts of our brains are enacted when we experience rejection as when humans go through cocaine withdrawal. After showing test subjects pictures of their exes, certain parts of the brain lit up more than others. These same parts lit up in subjects experiencing withdrawal or similar physical pain. Girl, you’re literally addicted to love.
Luckily, you’re amazing and better off without them. The pain will subside, your hormones will dissipate, and you’ll be ready to get back to yourself again!
