Almost everyone on Earth knows what it feels like to be heartbroken, but not everyone realizes there is a condition that doctors call broken heart syndrome. This syndrome is a temporary heart condition and is brought on by stress and extreme emotion. It can sometimes be caused by physical illness or surgery, but it is not as expected.
Broken heart syndrome can sometimes be mistaken for a heart attack because it brings on sudden chest pain. The other symptom of this syndrome is shortness of breath, which is also a sign of a heart attack. With these frightening symptoms, it is easy to see why it is often confused.
It only affects a part of the heart and interrupts it’s pumping function. Generally, this syndrome will fix itself after a couple of days but can sometimes last for weeks.
Although its cause is unknown, it is believed that stress hormones such as adrenaline are part of it. Researchers have discovered that the arteries temporarily restrict during it, as well. It most often happens after an extraordinarily physical or emotional situation occurs.
Should you have any of these signs or symptoms, do not hesitate to seek help. It is better to err and be cautious! A potential heart problem is not a concern to take too lightly!
Ten Ways to Overcome Broken Heart Syndrome
Are you struggling with broken heart syndrome? Try these tips for at-home care.
1. Manage Your Stress
Since broken heart syndrome occurs after severe stress, learning how to manage it can help. Find some new things to do that help you relax and think clearly. This could be going for a walk or run, writing in a journal, or anything else that enables you to cope.
Anytime you feel the pain, turn to your healthy stress management solution. By doing this, you will be able to keep the overwhelming feelings from becoming something more serious.
2. Practice Deep Breathing Techniques
There are many kinds of deep breathing methodologies. They all can help you relax and regroup after a stressful situation. When you are smack dab in the middle of a painful episode, deep breathing can help you overcome it.
Some of the deep breathing techniques that help with stress include:
- belly breathing
- roll breathing
- morning breathing
The University of Michigan goes over these breathing techniques in detail. They also explain how each one works to relieve stress.
3. Exercise
Exercise is known to help relieve stress and mend broken hearts. Any type of activity will help but running, swimming, walking, and kick-boxing will all offer relief immediately.
This is because it increases your serotonin and norepinephrine and stimulates the brain to help with nerve cell growth. It also makes you feel like you’re taking charge of your mind and body, leading to further benefits psychologically.
Yoga also offers immediate relief, but not due to the physical aspect. It allows you to both focus your mind and slow your heart rate. The best thing is that it can offer relief from even thinking about your pain.
4. Find a Way to Be Hopeful
Always believe that there is happiness coming your way. Know that like will get better, and you will feel happier. Believe that the ache you are feeling won’t last forever and that you will be able to move on.
Hope for a happier time where you can be excited about the small things. There will come a time when you look forward to doing things and spending time with people you love. If you can be hopeful in this way, it can help you overcome this syndrome as hope brings peace and calm.
All bad things end, and you never know when that day will come for you. It’s likely sooner than you think. So, hold on to hope and stay healthy as you go through it.
5. Meditate
Meditation is a type of mindfulness activity. It can help your thoughts flow freely and more clearly, which will give you clarity on what to do next. This will also help you release the power of your feelings as you come to terms with them.
Practicing meditation can give you the strength you need to see this syndrome through. After regular meditation sessions, you will notice your confidence and sense of self-worth increase.
6. Accept the Situation and Allow Yourself to Grieve
Ignoring the situation that caused your pain won’t help, and neither will ignoring your emotions. Spend time acknowledging and thinking about the painful things. It will be challenging, but it is necessary if you want to overcome and move on.
Everything great in life takes working through obstacles and unexpected hardships. This is another one of those times. To overcome and be happy again, you have to work through the obstacle standing in your way.
By allowing yourself to think about and accept the finality of it, you will be one step closer to happiness. You’ll become stronger because of It.
You will cry and become angry during the process, but it will be easier sooner than you think. Studies show that tears remove toxic substances and reduce stress, so cry all you need to. If you don’t go through this, you may not heal for a long time.
Remember that avoiding the situation will only make the pain worse. If you find yourself avoiding the grieving process, you need to take time to think about the situation. Some examples of avoidance include these scenarios:
- overworking to take your mind off it
- substance abuse
- starting another relationship quickly
- pouring all your energy into something else
- overeating when you are sad
- isolating yourself
7. Help Someone
When you are hurting, you will feel better if you make someone else happy. It takes your mind off of the negative and helps you remember that happiness does exist. Plus, reminding yourself that you can make a difference in the world will boost your self-worth and confidence.
Helping others can also help strengthen positive relationships, and it can help you form new ones. Meeting new people and spending time away from people who remind you of your pain helps with getting past it.
8. Find Something to Make you Laugh
Laughing makes you feel a little better, no matter how much pain you are feeling. It reduces the stress hormones from your body, such as cortisol, adrenaline, and dopamine. Additionally, it raises the level of hormones that increase happiness, such as endorphins.
Laughter can also help with an emotional and physical release, which is much needed when you are heartbroken. This is an excellent way to let go and get some of the emotions out. It’s also a useful way to forget about the pain you are feeling.
Another benefit of laughing is that a giggle can make you more lighthearted. It will help you see your obstacle as a challenge to accomplish instead of something to ruin your life. This allows you with being positive, and it will ease some of the negativity you are experiencing.
9. Figure out the Trigger and Remove It
If something is making you, this is upset. It’s essential to remove the trigger from your life. Releasing the catalyst may be painful at first, but it’ll get more comfortable. Do what is best for your well-being so that you can get past the pain.
This may mean removing certain people or places from your life. It could also mean building a new life with new friends and events. Starting new can be the most significant step towards moving forward.
Leaving the trigger in your life will only cause an endless cycle of being heartbroken. It isn’t fair to do that to yourself, and you won’t ever be able to heal from it. Eliminating the trigger is essential if you want to overcome broken heart syndrome.
10. Seek Professional Help
You have to talk to someone about your feelings, or you won’t be able to get past them. If you can’t speak to a close friend or family member, you may want to seek professional help. Sometimes, even if you have a loved one to talk to, it may be easier to express your deepest thoughts to someone neutral.
Speaking to a mental health professional can guide you through the problem positively. You will learn new coping techniques and be able to think about what is causing the pain.
Examples of Events That May Cause Broken Heart Syndrome
- a sudden and unexpected drop in blood pressure
- severe illness
- surgery
- stressful medical procedures
- intense pain
- violent situations
- asthma attack
- hearing bad news
- being in an accident
- losing a close friend, loved one, or pet
- having an intense argument
- losing money or assets
- being extremely scared
- speaking in public
- sudden surprises, good or bad
Final Thoughts on Ways to Overcome Broken Heart Syndrome
Broken heart syndrome is painful, and it can be hard to overcome if you don’t know how to. You can’t get caught up in a cycle of avoidance or putting yourself in situations that may trigger pain. Instead, you have to think about your well-being and health and decide to remove the trigger and move on.
Hold on to hope and take the necessary steps to find happiness and relaxation again. Things will get better if you take care of yourself. You are strong enough to overcome being heartbroken, and you will only become stronger because of it.
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