THE FIRST BLOG

Heartbreak can be caused by lots of things..although the causes may be different, the feeling of loss is the same..that is whether it's the loss of something real or the loss of something you only hoped for. People describe heartbreak as a feeling of heaviness, emptiness, and sadness.

How can you handle it?

As we know, most people will tell you that you'll get over it someday or you'll meet someone else, but when it's happening to you, it can feel like no one else in the world has ever felt the same way like you do. If you're experiencing these feelings, there are things you can do to lessen the pain.

Let It Out

Share your feelings. Some people find that sharing their feelings with someone they trust or someone who recognizes what they're going through will helps them feel better. That could mean talking over all the things you feel, even having a good cry on the shoulder of a comforting friend or family member. If you feel like someone can't relate to what you're going through or is dismissive of your feelings, find someone more sympathetic to talk to.

Don't be afraid to cry. Going through a break-up can be really tough, and getting some of those raw emotions out can be a big help. We know this is tough but there's no shame in crying now and then. No one has to see you do it because you don't have to start blubbering in class or at soccer practice or anything. Just a find a place where you can be alone, like crying into your pillow at night or in the shower when you're getting ready for the day. express the feelings and let it all out..

Be Kind to Yourself

Remember what's good about you. This is important because sometimes people with broken hearts start to blame themselves for what's happened. They may be really down on themselves, exaggerating their faults as though they did something to deserve the unhappiness they're experiencing. If you find this happening to you, nip it in the bud! Remind yourself of your good qualities, and if you can't think of them because your broken heart is clouding your view, get your friends to remind you.

Take good care of yourself. A broken heart can be very stressful so don't let the rest of your body get broken too. Get lots of sleep, eat healthy foods, and exercise regularly to minimize stress and depression and give your self-esteem a boost.

Do the things you normally enjoy. Whether it's seeing a movie or going to a concert, do something fun to take your mind off the negative feelings for a while.

Keep yourself busy. Sometimes this is difficult when you're coping with sadness and grief, but it really helps. This is a great time to redecorate your room or try a new hobby. That doesn't mean you shouldn't think about what happened but working things through in our minds is all part of the healing process and it just means you should focus on other things too.

Give yourself time. It takes time for sadness to go away. Almost everyone thinks they won't feel normal again, but the human spirit is amazing and before you know it, the heartbreak almost always heals after a while. But how long will that take? That depends on what caused your heartbreak, how you deal with loss, and how quickly you tend to bounce back from things. Getting over a break-up can take a couple of days to many weeks and sometimes even months.

Some people feel that nothing will make them happy again and resort to alcohol or drugs. Others feel angry and want to hurt themselves or someone else. People who drink, do drugs, or cut themselves to escape from the reality of a loss may think they are numbing their pain, but the feeling is only temporary. They're not really dealing with the pain, only masking it, which makes all their feelings build up inside and prolongs the sadness.

Sometimes the sadness is so deep — or lasts so long — that a person may need some extra support. For someone who isn't starting to feel better after a few weeks or who continues to feel depressed, talking to a counselor or therapist can be very helpful.

So be patient with yourself, and let the healing begin..

because...

According to a 2005 Washington Post article, researchers say Yes, you can DIE of a broken heart. It says that "the stress of a traumatic breakup or death can unleash a flood of hormones that can stun the heart, causing sudden, life-threatening heart spasms in otherwise healthy people".

Heartbreak can cause a depressive emotional state, and that is often linked to health problems as a traumatic breakup, an extreme argument or experiencing the death of a loved one can elicit the release of stress hormones that can trigger a heart attack in people prone to them, induce a life-threatening arrhythmia or cause a syndrome that mimics a heart attack in otherwise healthy hearts. Besides experiencing the strain of stress, of emotional overload, and of not taking care of oneself properly, it is also possible for grievers to be at higher risk for health problems.

Broken heart syndrome or also known as Stress Cardiomyopathy has a very real physical effect on those who suffer from it even though the syndrome is temporary.

Understanding Broken Heart Syndrome

Symptoms:
The symptoms of broken heart syndrome can mimic those of heart disease. As a result, you and even your doctor could initially think that you’re suffering from a heart attack because of the strong chest pains and shortness of breath.

Diagnosis:
In order for physicians to determine that broken heart syndrome is not actually a heart attack, they must check your personal history then complete a physical exam.

The doctor will check to see if you had heart disease symptoms beforehand. In addition, he may perform the following exams:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Chest X-ray
- Echocardiogram
- Blood tests

Once the doctor determines that you indeed have broken heart syndrome, he will begin treatment.

Treatment:
There is no standard treatment for broken heart syndrome, though many doctors prescribe blood pressure medication to reduce the pressure to the heart. This treatment is likely to only last a week, which is the timeframe the most doctors believe it takes to recover. Luckily, heart surgery is not one of the treatments necessary.

Cause:
While physicians don’t know the exact cause of broken heart syndrome, they think it may be brought on by a brief surge of stress hormones (such as adrenaline) that could temporarily damage the heart.

A number of factors are said to trigger this effect. Some include physical traumas like domestic abuse, an asthma attack, car accident or even a major surgery.

Emotional traumas like the unexpected death of a loved one, losing a lot of money or a job, a frightening medical diagnosis or the loss of an important relationship could also trigger the syndrome.

Complications:
While broken heart syndrome is different than a heart attack because the heart artery isn’t blocked by a clot, it could pose short-term complications because blood flow in the arteries may be reduced.

Some of these complications include disruptions in the heartbeat, fast or slow heartbeat and a backup of fluid in the lungs. The major risk, however, is that you could suffer the syndrome multiple times if more stressful events occur.

SO..CAN YOU HANDLE A BROKEN HEART?