Bounce Back from a Breakup

Sticks and stones may break your bones—but words definitely hurt you. Emotional pain can be as agonizing as a physical trauma, according to new research from the University of Michigan.
When you get rejected, your brain releases the same pain-killing opioids it would if you suffered an injury, the study found.
What’s going on? Your brain is wired to treat emotional and physical pain with the same remedy because romantic and social exclusion were actually once death sentences, just like disease, says Nathan De Wall, Ph.D., of the University of Kentucky.

That means you can actually use Tylenol to help heal a broken heart, according to previous research from the University of Kentucky. Because of the distress connection in your brain, 500 milligrams (one pill) of acetaminophen in the morning and at night can ease emotional pain just like physical pain.
Try meeting up with a reliable group of friends, too. The new study found that when you feel accepted, opioids are released into your brain’s pleasure centers, making you happier—and more motivated to keep socializing.
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