The psychological pain of heartbreak can be treated just like physical pain, according to a study done by Walter Mischel, a professor of psychology at Columbia University in New York City.
Test subjects given ibuprofen dealt with rejection better than subjects given a placebo, according to the study. In other words, it suggested that if you have been dumped by your partner, taking a pain killer could make you feel better.
Stephen Cudmore, a family doctor, agreed taking a pill will help in theory, but added feelings are multifaceted. He explained there is a concrete connection between pain and mood, that ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory drug, and that inflammation is a cause of pain.
“Mood modulates pain and pain modulates mood,” Cudmore said.
John Weekes, adjunct research professor of addiction in the psychology department at Carleton, described how after a breakup, one’s mind is consumed by their views on their relationship, their behaviour, and their ex-partner’s behaviour.
“The emotions are raw [and] there’s a whole host of things going on,” he said.
“Personally, I find the results are really surprising and interesting because we typically associate a drug like ibuprofen being relatively mild compared with other types [of] pain relief . . . Maybe [ibuprofen] is a coping mechanism.”
Weekes said what makes the trial compelling is the fact that the placebo had no effect on test subjects.
Carol-Anne Pease, a counsellor at Carleton’s Health and Counselling Services, finds the thought of taking an over-the-counter pain killer to help deal with heartbreak “concerning.”
She suggested leaving ibuprofen as a last resort, but said she agrees that post-breakup, there are many strong and painful emotions being experienced.
“People feel like their existence is threatened,” Pease said, as if one can’t exist without the other person.
According to Pease, it is quite common for students to seek counselling for help specifically surrounding a breakup. She said a break up is especially devastating if it is a first-time relationship.
When asked how they coped with heartbreak, Carleton students answered anything from spending time with friends to going out and partying.
Pease agreed with many students that the best methods of coping are exercising, taking care of yourself, and spending time with friends. Cudmore said coping mechanisms all depend on the person.
The risks associated with taking a pill for heartbreak are small, according to Weekes.
“Something like ibuprofen, I think, is typically not considered to be a very addictive drug, so the likelihood of developing a dependency is quite low,” he said.
“Like the old saying goes, time heals all wounds. Not to be flippant, but in some respects there’s a certain truth to that.”
