Broken Heart Syndrome

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Broken Heart Syndrome
A broken heart (or heartbreak) is a common metaphor used to describe the intense emotional pain or suffering one feels that are usually associated with losing a loved one, through death, divorce, breakup, moving, rejection, or other means. It also refers to the physical pain one may feel in the chest because of the loss. Although "heartbreak" is usually a metaphor, there is a condition appropriately known as "broken heart syndrome" where a traumatizing incident triggers the brain to distribute chemicals that weaken heart tissue. Sudden emotional stress caused by a traumatic breakup, the death of a loved one, or even the shock of a surprise party can trigger the condition.

Broken Heart syndrome is clinically different from a heart attack because the patients have few risk factors for heart disease and were previously healthy prior to the heart muscles weakening. Today, the condition is also referred to as stress cardiomyopathy, stress-induced cardiomyopathy or apical ballooning syndrome.

The symptoms of a "broken heart" can manifest themselves through psychological pain but for many the effect is physical. The following is a list of common symptoms that occur:
  • A perceived tightness of the chest, similar to an anxiety attack
  • Stomachache and/or loss of appetite
  • Partial or complete insomnia
  • Anger
  • Shock
  • Nostalgia
  • Apathy (loss of interest)
  • Feelings of loneliness
  • Feelings of hopelessness and despair
  • Loss of self-respect and/or self-esteem
  • Medical or psychological illness (for example depression)
  • Suicidal thoughts (in extreme cases)
  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • The thousand-yard stare
  • Constant or frequent crying
  • A feeling of complete emptiness
  • In extreme cases, death
Because the heart muscle is not permanently damaged with this syndrome, patients typically make a rapid and complete recovery. The recovery rates for those suffering from "broken heart syndrome" are faster than those who had heart attacks. One could achieve complete recovery to the heart within two weeks and there is no permanent damage.

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 29, 2010 at 5:44 PM

    horrifying!

    ReplyDelete
  2. PattyJanuary 3, 2011 at 10:40 AM

    This syndrome can be really dangerous because there are certain cases where a person suffers from this disease becomes suicidal and may tend to end his life because of the pain he feels. And almost all people don't want to experience this because it's really painful. Recently, I've experienced such a heartache because a friend of mine died and for me to recover easily, I went to a Theta healing class their meditations wee actually good and t really helped me deal with the pain I felt with my friend's loss.

    ReplyDelete
  3. julietJanuary 3, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    Thanks for sharing Patty! Hope you're doing fine now.

    ReplyDelete

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