Broken heart

A broken heart (also known as heartbreak or heartache) is a metaphor for the intense emotional stress or pain one feels at experiencing great loss or deep longing. It is often greatly associated with grief and mourning especially following the death of a loved one. The concept is cross-cultural, often cited with reference to unreciprocated or lost love.

Failed romantic love or unrequited love can be extremely painful; people suffering from a broken heart may succumb to depression, grief, anxiety and, in more extreme cases, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Studies show that the pain of heartbreak is registered in the brain the same as physical pain. Love is also addictive; when heartbreak happens, dopamine and oxytocin levels drop and are replaced with cortisol—contributing to mental and physical symptoms of heartbreak.