By just reading the title,  I’m sure everyone must have had a different reaction or opinion on what it implies. No, it’s not as sappy as it seems to be! So many people link a broken heart with a failed romance, but that’s not always the case.

I think we can all agree that for starters, a broken heart is simply a feeling of loss. It doesn’t necessarily mean the loss of a lover as I mentioned earlier, it could be anything from that to the loss of a friend, a family member or even a dream. The reasons and causes of a broken heart are different, though the feeling is the same; loss.

This kind of loss is usually described the same way by people, a feeling of depression, intolerable pain, emptiness and confusion with a side of low self esteem. In short, a wave of grief.

This is how a broken heart is defined:

” A broken heart (or heartbreak) is a common metaphor used to describe the intense emotional pain or suffering one feels after losing a loved one, through death, divorce, moving, being dumped, or other means. It is an extremely old and widespread metaphor, dating to at least the Indian Ramayana writings (400 BC - 200 AD).[1]

Heartbreak is usually associated with losing a spouse or loved one, though losing a parent, child, pet, or close friend can also “break one’s heart”. The phrase refers to the physical pain one may feel in the chest as a result of the loss. Although “heartbreak” is usually a metaphor, there is a condition — appropriately known as Broken Heart Syndrome — where a traumatizing incident triggers the brain to distribute chemicals that weaken heart tissue. “

So, in some cases it can actually be more than just a metaphor. Interesting, don’t you think?

Almost everyone goes through a heartbreak, and you will either see for yourself or have others tell you that you will get over it and heal eventually. Even if at the time you feel like you will never move on or get past the incident.

How long will it last? How long before that empty feeling fades away? That depends on the person and how they decide to deal with the issue.

However, it’s not an easy task at all. You try to go about your daily routine, and try not to think about it too much, but it keeps coming back, sweeping over you like a wave - that feeling in the pit of your stomach - you take in a big breath of air. How long am I going to feel this way?

The most important thing we should all know is that it’s okay to feel that way. It’s okay to get sad and show it. It’s okay to give yourself a break for a while.

The point is…let it take it’s course.

I do believe that a lot of our suffering when we face heartbreak; is self inflicted. That means it’s up to us to stop our suffering, or let it continue on till it controls our lives and eat at us.

Even if not all heartbreak can be cured, just by being able to move on you learn a lot more about yourself and others. You learn how to restore balance back into your life, which isn’t a simple trick to perform.

And in the case of love, never engage in the internal monologue of self blame that usually happens at the end of a relationship. “If only I had done/said things differently…” is the worst thing you could do to yourself. That “If only” is an insult to who you are, since by doing/saying things differently than you did would no longer be “you”.