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Heartbreak during the critical stage of emerging adulthood can lead to severe trauma, a recent study suggests.

Heartbreak and Trauma

Emerging adulthood, between the ages of 18 and 25, is a pivotal period for identity development. Young adults face significant decisions about their future, while their brains are still maturing in areas that govern cognitive and emotional functions. During this phase, romantic relationship breakups can have profound effects. These breakups may result in poorer academic performance, intrusive thoughts, intense grief, and even suicidal tendencies. Despite the severity, the impact of breakups on young adults is often underestimated and trivialized.

Heartbreak Among Young Adults

Recent research by Alberta SJ van der Watt, a mental health researcher from Stellenbosch University, explores romantic relationship breakups as potentially traumatic events among university students. The study investigated whether experiences of breakups could align with the psychiatric diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Participants were categorized into three groups: those who reported PTSD symptoms due to breakups, those who reported PTSD symptoms from other traumatic events, and a control group with PTSD symptoms from stressful but non-traumatic events. The breakup group reported significantly higher levels of PTSD symptoms, including flashbacks and recurring memories of their ex-partners, compared to the other groups.

Fear, Rejection, and PTSD

Further analysis involved brain scans of a subset of participants, showing that those in the breakup group had similar brain activation in the amygdala and hippocampus as those who experienced physical or sexual assault. These brain regions are linked to the fear-based limbic system and romantic attachment rejection.

The study also highlighted that the emotional response to breakups was influenced by demographic factors like sex, sexual orientation, and religion, as well as the perceived closeness of the relationship and reasons for the breakup.

Mental Health Care

The findings suggest that recognizing breakups as potentially traumatic could help young adults receive appropriate mental health support, including trauma-focused treatments. The study calls for more research to validate these findings and encourage mental healthcare providers to screen for PTSD symptoms following a breakup.