What happens to your body when you go through something as depressing as a heartbreak? Many of us have dealt with some form of heartbreak - whether it is breaking up with your boyfriend/girlfriend, or losing a loved one. You cry it out, stop eating, scream, get drunk, or maybe all of the above. Did you know that your body goes through quite a few changes when you go through a heartbreak?
#5 Hormonal change
Love makes everyone feel happy and good. In our body, happiness is displayed in the form of hormones like dopamine and oxytocin. When you experience a heartbreak and are upset, the happiness hormones turn off and are replaced by cortisol and epinephrine; the stress hormones. All that happiness and joy is channeled and turned into anxiety and stress. When stress hormones chronically linger, a person's ability to form and make new memories starts to reduce. It is probably a coping mechanism developed by the brain in order to forget whatever was causing the stress.
#4 A weaker immune system
Stress hormones release a lot of negative enzymes in the body which result in the immune system becoming weaker. This makes a person susceptible to falling sick. We deal with colds, flu, fevers on a daily basis but usually, our body is strong enough to be able to fight these off. The pain and stress that a heartbreak causes have a lot of negative effects on the body. It causes the body to produce less white blood cells, which is what helps to fight off infection.
#3 Dietary change and weight gain
When we are faced with a stressful or negative part of our life, our immune system gets weaker and we tend to crave some foods to try and counteract that chemistry. This is why most people resort to fats, carbohydrates, sweet as well as salty things. The cortisol hormone has been associated with increased belly fat and is responsible for the food cravings. These kinds of comfort foods lead to more production of Serotonin which can counter stress.
#2 Sexual dysfunction
In most cases, if you have a broken heart, then the last thing on your mind is sex and there will be lack of sexual pleasure in your life. However, even if you do manage to get some action in your life, you may find that your body is not as responsive as it normally is.
#1 Skin Rashes
Stress hormones can easily cause an outbreak and affect your skin adversely. Conditions such as Psoriasis, rosacea or acne can get activated at this time. Any sort of extreme feeling can lead to the skin reacting to it.
If you're going through a heartbreak, there are multiple ways to help yourself get out of it. It is not always easy to ask for help. Here are some tips you can practice for yourself:
#5 Find some way to learn from it
Everything happens for a reason even though we may hate it. There will always be something you can learn even from your bad times and make yourself a stronger person. Focus on what you got out of the relationship and just move forward.
#4 Forgive even if you cannot forget
There are some experiences which are impossible to forget; people who hurt you, people who betrayed you, lied to you. You may not be able to push the whole situation out of your mind but forgiving someone for their mistakes only brings you peace. It makes it a lot easier for you to get over the situation if you find it in you to forgive, not forget but try and move forward.
#3 Take it personally but not permanently
Yes, you would take it personally and be upset at someone who hurt you and it is alright to cry and be angry. Experiencing pain, loss, and loneliness are all part of life; embrace it. You need to take time to process your feelings but don't dwell on them for too long. Holding on to something that hurt you will only give it more power to keep hurting and you will find it impossible to move on. The broken relationship was just a part of your life, but remember, it is not your entire life. Let go of the past and embrace a better future!
#2 Ask for help
Sometimes, it happens that you don't know who to call and ask for help, but don't let these unsurities get in the way of asking for help when you need it. You will be surprised at the friends who will show up to love and support you. When we are at the lowest, help comes in the most surprising ways.
#1 Do EVERYTHING you love to do
Make sure to do all the things you love doing and remind yourself that you know how to have fun alone. You don't need someone to make you happy and you can be happy in your own way. Doing the things you love to do acts as a positive reinforcement and will help you in moving forward.
