What Happens to Your Body and Brain When You Have a Broken Heart

by - January 03, 2022

What Happens to Your Body and Brain When You Have a Broken Heart

Who has never had a broken heart? Left behind by loved ones is stifling, not infrequently we vent emotions by crying for days. It felt like the world was turning gray and colorless as usual.

But do you know? Apparently, heartbreak can be explained from a scientific point of view, want to know the explanation? Check this out!

1. Heartbreak has its own scientific name

In the medical world, heartbreak is known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, says the Heart.org website. This syndrome can affect anyone, even if our physical condition is healthy and fit. A broken heart causes intense pain in the chest and is triggered by a painful emotional experience.

For example, the closest person who died, divorced, broke up, was ignored, or experienced rejection. The Heart.org page says that women are more susceptible to this, because of the reaction of hormones that trigger excessive stress.

2. Changes in the heart when experiencing a broken heart

A broken heart is often misdiagnosed as a heart attack, due to similar symptoms. Test results showed that there had been dramatic changes in heart rhythm and blood pressure similar to the symptoms of a heart attack, the Heart.org website explained. The difference is, a broken heart does not cause blockage of the heart arteries.

When a heart is broken, part of the heart will enlarge temporarily and not pump blood properly. Meanwhile, the rest of the heart will function normally, or even experience stronger contractions. The bad news is that a broken heart can lead to heart muscle failure when we drag on in grief.

But, don't worry! A broken heart can always be healed! Over time, the wounds we suffer will heal and heal on their own.

3. Recognize these symptoms when you break your heart

Our bodies change when we are heartbroken. Common symptoms are angina (chest pain) and shortness of breath. In addition, we are also at risk of arrhythmias, where the heartbeat becomes irregular.

Cardiogenic shock can also occur. It is characterized by a heart that suddenly weakens and cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs, the Heart.org page says.

You have to be quick because this can be fatal if not treated immediately. Because, when a person dies of a heart attack, the cause of death is mostly due to cardiogenic shock.

4. This is the hormone that the body releases when a broken heart

When we fall in love, the brain secretes happiness hormones, such as dopamine and oxytocin. However, when heartbroken, the brain secretes different hormones, namely cortisol, and epinephrine. What are the effects of these hormones?

Too much cortisol can cause swollen muscles, headaches, stiff neck, and chest tightness, hey Sigmund website says. In addition, other problems can occur, such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, sleep problems to loss of appetite.

5. Can a broken heart cause death?

As it turns out, heartbreak is more dangerous than we thought. In fact, a broken heart can lead to death! In some cases, a broken heart triggers stress and can cause physical damage to the heart, NBC News reported. This is also known as takotsubo cardiomyophaty or broken heart syndrome.

The syndrome was first discovered in Japan in 1990. Cardiomyophaty makes the heart muscle weaken, but on the other hand, it can cause swelling of the heart and stronger contractions of the heart muscle.

The real case where heartbreak can lead to death is the death of Debbie Reynolds, the mother of actress Carrie Fisher, who died one day after her son's death, Satjit Bhusri, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, told NBC News. Allegedly, a strong emotional bond between mother and child is a trigger for excessive loss and can have implications for death. True, heartbreak is not only about romance, but can also be from losing family members.

6. Heartbreak can lower self-confidence and trigger depression

Not only has a bad impact on physical, but heartbreak can also have an adverse effect on mental health. Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University conducted a study on 7,000 people and analyzed levels of depression and anxiety based on their traumatic experiences.

Researchers concluded that the sense of loss due to heartbreak can affect the decline in confidence, explained the Elite Daily page. In fact, it can also lead to anxiety disorders and depression.


7. Heartbroken triggers sleep problems

When heartbroken, it will be difficult to calm the mind and rest normally as usual. In fact, what often happens is overthinking and recalling what has happened. Hopefully, everything can be repaired back to how it used to be. No wonder we have trouble sleeping after a broken heart occurs.

Stress due to a breakup can make us anxious for a long time. Sadness and loss can affect the nervous system and make us lose a little control. This is what influences insomnia in the period when we are heartbroken, explained Ronald Alexander, psychotherapist, and author of the book, as quoted on the Huffpost page.

8. Heartbreak triggers dietary changes

And lastly, a broken heart can also change your diet. We can lose our appetite completely or eat more than usual.

Eating seems to be an escape and escape from wounds in the heart. When heartbroken, we tend to look for foods that are high in calories, sugar, and salt. In fact, in some cases, some people escape heartbreak with alcohol.
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