Why Does Heartbreak Physically Hurt?

All of us have experienced some form of heartbreak. The death of our loving canine companion, being rejected by someone you respected, or the end of a romantic relationship; all of these can lead to feelings of depression and physical pain. But what causes these feelings and what is the history behind this? Is psychology or science to blame for the physical pain of heartbreak?

Poets have long understood the pain associated with heartbreak and have created the mythology surrounding it. Commonly love is represented by a heart because of the quickening flow of blood, which we associate with a blush or quickened heartbeat when in the presence of a loved one. Paired with this image, is the broken heart, which people easily associate with the physical pain within the chest of the person who has suffered a recent loss.

This pain within the chest is very similar to the feelings experienced by those with Anxiety Disorder, a psychological condition. Some people believe that this pain felt has a physical cause. "Broken Heart Disorder," a condition where the brain releases chemicals that wear away the heart, is sometimes attributed as the cause of the sudden death of elderly individuals who have recently suffered a loss. Most people think this is a far-fetched explanation however. The causes of death in these individuals is very cryptic, but probably more due to the stress of the situation than to any chemicals that eat away the heart.

Extreme stress can be very emotionally taxing not only to our minds, but to our bodies. The symptoms of heartbreak help to weaken the immune systems and general function of those who suffer them. Though many people claim that heartbreak cannot be explained by symptoms, there are many common ones that occur in most cases: pain or tightening in your chest, stomachache or loss of appetite, partial or complete insomnia, anger, shock, nostalgia, apathy, depression, loneliness, and frequent or constant crying. These symptoms release an enormous amount of energy and, particularly in the case of insomnia, hamper your ability to get proper rest. All of this stress to our bodies takes its toll in the form of aching, tiredness, and apathy.

In evolutionary terms, your body is not sure what is going on. It understands that you are experiencing distress and is trying to keep you thinking about it so that you can solve it. Unfortunately, we are not in the wild and some problems cannot be solves so easily. Instead of using the anger, loss of appetite, and insomnia to deal with the stress, it simply wastes energy. The feelings of sadness, pain, and loss are supposed to trigger action within you to right the wrong, from an evolutionary perspective. Of course, this is impossible, so feelings of apathy, helplessness, and loneliness begin to overwhelm you.

Understanding the nature behind heartbreak may help you to get through the tough times and come out on the other side wiser for it.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_heart