Why Grief and Heartbreak are Linked

When romantic relationships breakdown and become irreparable, common emotions felt are:

            A sense of loss, anger, anxiety, betrayal, blame, confusion, deep sadness, disappointment, distress, dread, embarrassment, exhaustion, failure, fatigue, fear, frustration, guilt, independence, insecurity, jealousy, numbness, overwhelm, rejection, relief, shame.

The pain of heartbreak is often reported as both psychological and physical. This echoes the teachings of the great thinker and philosopher Socrates nearly 2,500 years ago on the interconnectedness of mind and body.

Heartbreak defined by Merriam-Webster Modern Webster Version is “deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement”. The term bereavement refers to being deprived of a close relation or friend through their death. Death, as we know it, is losing someone from this world. Similarly, when you experience heartbreak, you lose a version of a person you once adored and trusted. That version vanishes, leaving only a memory. You mourn a future you once dreamt of and grieve a love that once warmed your heart.

It’s important to allow yourself to feel emotions without resistance and without judgment. Acceptance of reality can be challenging but with the right support it is possible. In Buddhist thought, the concept of impermanence plays a central role and reminds us that life is ever-changing. This includes the intensity of emotions felt at a relationship’s end.

Working alongside a separation and divorce coach will give you the required support you need during this season of grief.