If you’re going through a break-up at the moment then we’ve got some good news: doing things you enjoy can help you recover faster.
According to researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, the ‘placebo’ effect can help us heal from heartbreak.
The study involved 40 recently heartbroken participants staring at pictures of their ex while having brain images taken.
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During the experiment the students involved were given a nasal spray. Half were told the spray was a ‘powerful analgesic’ which helped to relieve emotional trauma, while the other half believed it to just be a saline solution.
The results, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, reveal that those who thought the nasal spray was an emotional aid were actually happier after the experiment.
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The study’s authors explained: ‘We use brain imaging to show that placebo treatment reduces the painful feelings associated with a recent romantic rejection by recruiting a prefrontal-brainstem network and by shifting the relationship between brain activity and affect.’
Which in layman’s terms means that doing the things that make you happier can actually speed up how fast you recover from emotional pain. Hurrah!
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As well as boosting our confidence, doing things we enjoy acts as a distraction method from the things that keep us locked into our heartbreak, such as overanalysing those final moments or scrutinising their social media (we all do it!).
So, if you’re feeling romantically rejected at the moment then get out there and do something you love. We couldn’t think of any better advice ourselves!
(Images: Getty)
