Can science heal a broken heart for love?

No one can escape the sadness of heartbreak, scientific research also shows that a bad breakup can cause psychological damage and lead to depression, even sadness can affect the physical body. lovelorn with symptoms like nausea or insomnia. In rare cases, emotional pressure can cause the heart to stop pumping blood and lead to death.

Luck for lonely souls, new scientific breakthroughs can make you overcome the painful heartbreak. Last March, a Spanish team found that anesthetic propofol could erase . painful memories associated with a breakup in tears.

The test participants (and also the fool in love) were given injections right after recalling a painful memory. About 24 hours later, when asked to relive again, they all said that the sad memories were less true.

The main purpose of this study is to reduce the effect of traumatic trauma, but it seems that scientists have discovered another effect of propofol, which is to suppress the harmful effects of sad memories. In addition, the drug also has the potential to limit the psychological effects of the sudden loss of a loved one - traumatic events also bring about the same symptoms of a recently separated person.

Dr Bryan Strange, who led the study, said: ' By combining anesthesia with evoking sad memories in patients, we can minimize the effects of subsequent reminders. We will have to create a standard that determines who fits this remedy, and whether the effect outweighs the risks posed by anesthesia. There may be people whose memories are distressing to the extent that we fit the standards . '

In addition to medication, we can also control our emotions. A 2017 study found that many brain exercises can help reduce unnecessary, shameful or outrageous behaviors that can occur after a breakup, while increasing self-restraint. .

Anthropologist Helen Fisher, who has had 40 years of experience studying the effects of love on the human brain, said in one study: there were surprising similarities between losing a loved one and giving up a routine. addicted to something (like alcohol, tobacco or drugs).

' In the lovelorn, no one is unaffected ,' Fisher said. ' After studying people who were rejected emotionally, we found that activity in the brain area only occurs when craving or obsessed with something, besides the nucleus accumbens, a place that causes bad habits like gambling addiction and drugs, constant activity . '

She added: ' We found activity in the brain region associated with physical damage, accompanied by constant anxiety. Emotional trauma is accompanied by extremely strong brain reactions '.

Fisher's findings are similar to those of Barbara Sahakian, a professor of neuropsychology at Cambridge University.

' Love is addictive, ' Ms. Sahakian said. ' It seems that the reward system - the nerve structure that motivates and motivates subjects - is activated every time you see someone you love. If they leave, you will have to eliminate the routine, the need to see them, text them or hear their voices . The best way to combat that is to distract yourself, use spend time on something else . '

There are still other controversial treatments for ventricular ataxia, such as anesthesia and eye movement treatment (EMDR - a series of stimulating actions that are reliving sad memories with images, sounds, or touch. ) and neurological feedback. One of the second methods was artist Dessa, who made the decision when reading Fisher's research.

' Because I know that the brain emits many signals every time a person experiences a love affair, I wonder if there's a way to change those signals, ' says Dessa, referring to the tense relationship. 14 years long with the man she called X.

The purpose of the neurofeedback mode is to 'reprogram' the brainwave, minimizing unwanted signals via the EEG. People with mental illness wear a brainwave monitor that translates the signal into related images or sounds. The scientific community still considers these to be clinical trials, but many trials have shown this treatment to alleviate symptoms of depression and other neurological conditions such as ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and PTSD - traumatic trauma.

After nine sessions, Ms. Dessa determined that the neurofeedback method had brought positive results. ' I feel no longer forced as before and less attached. When I saw X again, I no longer felt my body was overflowing with adrenaline. '

She also added that more tests were needed to confirm the results were correct. ' Maybe this is a cure, but obviously I have changed, ' said Dessa.

But not everyone can undergo brain reprogramming via an EEG signal. Brian Earp, a researcher in psychology, humanity and philosophy at Oxford University believes that there will soon be another way of intervening directly in the body's chemical reaction, a 'anti-love biotechnology'. for people who are having a hard time in love - whether they are breaking up with their longtime partner or losing an important person in life.

' The scary thing is that anti-love biotechnology is already available ,' he said. ' They are the side effects of medication, but Western medicine does not sequence studies of the effects that occur between individuals involved in the drug, so we have too little information about throbbing problem '.

' But based on a number of reports backed by research on both pharmacology and neurology, SSRI antidepressants may' erode 'the ability to care what others think - including emotions. for your lover, 'he added.

Professor Earp emphasized that SSRIs can be useful in healing heart wounds, if depression causes problems in the affair. But it seems they also have the ability to ease the depression that follows a broken love affair.

Both researchers, Earp and Fisher, immediately point out the ethical issues behind the use of biotechnology to control love, or more specifically, anti-love formation and keep growing. If a drug heals a 'bleeding heart', which both researchers assert will happen, one must immediately question how this medication will be used. , who uses them and whether they can abuse them.

' Is there a day we take medicine to intentionally cut off an emotional relationship? 'Mr. Earp asked. ' We will need to draft a set of rules to handle those cases '.

And yet, the 'poke' into the memory associated with affection is not simple. We can learn a lot from mistakes, so the act of stopping the damaging memories will be equivalent to that we never grow up.

' Many uncomfortable memories have helped us, both as individuals and for society as a whole, to correct future behaviors as allowed, ' said Dr. Strange. However, he added that the treatments (such as the use of propofol anesthetics mentioned above) need to be 'applied immediately' if its benefits are clear. , and he added that the official date of applying this method will not be far off.

As for Fisher, she thinks the method to face the problem is the simplest way, without the need for any chemicals or machines but by personal will: consider the handling of emotional wounds. like the detoxification process.

' Throw away all relevant cards and letters: put them all in the box, put them in a corner ,' she said. ' Don't send people anything, don't call, do exercise - these actions will increase dopamine in the brain and resistance to trauma. Completely eliminate sugar. Don't try to be friends with your ex, at least until you've overcome your emotional pain. Make new friends and keep looking forward to the future . '

' There is no medicine to help you create new relationships or daily affairs. The pain of rejection is indeed very great and very primal. They have played an important role for millions of years. In my opinion, only time - or another love affair - can really heal a heart wound . '

Refer to Guardian