There's a scientific reason heartbreak hurts so much: You actually go through withdrawal-like symptoms after a breakup because the feel-good hormones you got from your partner are suddenly gone, says Elle Huerta, founder of Mend, an app and online community designed to help people post-breakup.
But heartbreak isn't just melodrama. It's one of the most painful life experiences we have and we need to take it seriously for our mental and physical health.” When Williams's husband left her after 25 years, she felt “imperilled”.
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.
"The only thing worse than a broken heart, is a heart that lives in fear of heartbreak."
When you're deep in the mire of heartbreak, chances are that you feel pain somewhere in your body—probably in your chest or stomach. Some people describe it as a dull ache, others as piercing, while still others experience it as a crushing sensation.
They are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, according to Mental-Health-Matters.
The research found that while breakups hit women the hardest emotionally and physically, they recovered more fully and even came out emotionally stronger. Men, on the other hand, never fully recover — they simply move on or shut down completely.
Reasons your grief gets worse at night can be because you lost a close companion, expended your energy during the day, don't have distractions, are experiencing insomnia, or can't just stop ruminating.
The signs of a broken hearted man vary. When some of them experience heartbreak, they prefer to become loners until they heal from the pain. Others might decide to engage in other activities that keep them distracted until they are over the heartbreak.
Being broken up with can lead to feelings of hurt and rejection. Even if the breakup is mutual, it's still natural to struggle with difficult feelings, like anger or depression, at least for a while. As painful as the decision can be, there are healthy ways to deal with a breakup and get over a breakup.
Separation, even a temporary absence, from the people you have a deep emotional connection with can cause sorrow because you will no longer be able to enjoy their company. Temporary goodbyes are less sorrowful than longer goodbyes or the emotionally devastating end of life farewells.
Several studies—both large and small—suggest they have a tougher time than women do when a romantic relationship ends. For example, a team of researchers at the University of British Columbia conducted a study examining the ways in which men seek, or fail to seek, mental health help after a relationship ends.
The death of a future you imagined for yourself with your ex, one that you probably imagined together, can be one of the most difficult things to come to terms with after a break-up. It makes your present that much harder to get through (see above). It's OK to mourn and grieve the loss of that future.
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.
Men may sometimes blame others more and not fully accept their own shortcomings. Studies have found that men tend to deny their mistakes, minimize their faults, and blame their partners for the breakups. This leads to them spending the first few weeks of a breakup angry at their partner.
The stages of grief after a breakup can be divided into seven steps. These stages are Shock and the state of Denial, Pain and Angst, Guilt and Bargaining, Depression, Upward Turn, Reconstruction, and Acceptance.
Data compiled by Facebook suggests December 11th is the biggest breakup day of the year. That's two weeks away from Christmas.
"We see changes in our heart rate and blood pressure, we release more stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, our blood gets a bit stickier, our immune system can be a bit vulnerable and our sleep can be disturbed."