Slashdot Mirror
A Broken Heart Really Does Hurt, Scientists Claim
Death Metal writes "Psychologists at the University of California, Los Angeles say the human body has a gene that connects physical pain sensitivity with social pain sensitivity. The findings back the common theory that rejection 'hurts' by showing that a gene regulating the body's most potent painkillers — mu-opioids — is involved in socially painful experiences too."
"Individuals with the rare form of the pain gene, who were shown in previous work to be more sensitive to physical pain"
Isolate and manipulate.
Do The Evolution ;)
Finally, parents can know ahead of time if their kids are destined to grow up into whiny little John Hughes emo assholes, and vacuum the little bitch out before they have to end up paying for 20 years worth of Hot Topic clothes.
Up next, the Goth gene!
I've been punched in the face, I've had torn muscles, I've stubbed my toe, I've hit my thumb with a hammer, and nothing has hurt as much as a broken heart. This seemed pretty obvious to me, but I am glad that researchers are paying attention to feelings, and figuring out what is there.
Qxe4
"You may say she died of a ruptured ventricle; but I know she died of a broken heart."
Not to undermine the work of the researchers but this makes sense from a theoretical standpoint in terms of evolution. Humans as social creatures that reproduce sexually. It makes sense that, over the years, those individual genes that allowed humans to learn to flinch away from social stigmatization and learn from sexual/romantic rejection would survive more generations than those that didn't as, such genes would produce more socially acceptable creatures. For the human species, being socially acceptable is an instinctual desire as we tend towards the safety in numbers lifestyle. Loners, stragglers, and folks that never learned that rejection is a *bad* thing would/could have been picked off by predators easier and such. Hopefully, of course, that doesn't mean that slashdotters will start dying off anytime soon.
All jokes aside, though, I think I would have been more surprised to have learned that heartbreak and social rejection does not cause some kind of negative reinforcement within the human psyche. It is, of course, still interesting research.
Motorcycles, Robots, Space Gossip and More!
Does it mean that painkillers like Ibuprofen would help to lessen the pain of being dumped? That is a kind of an acute issue for me right now.
"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
Don't let the door hit you on your way out, Mr. Drama Queen.
The Psychologists later added, "if you're a total pussy."
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The article seems to state that those who reported higher levels of physical pain also reported more easily feeling rejected in a social situation. Therefore, it stands to reason (at least to me) that they have isolated the gene which causes people to complain, rather than any link between physical pain and emotional distress.
Yeah, I know, what kind of slashdotter am I, if I actually RTFA?
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I just got home. It's 3:30 am. I missed my bus. I cockblocked her "ex" or whatever he is all the way to the bedroom door. Had a brief chat (clenched fist ready to pound the shit out of him) but really it was both of them and not him alone. I need to be able to trust her too! I walked the fuck out at first swearing like a mother fucker in my best québécois i know all the way down broadway street vancouver. I finally calmed down enough to feel the pain. It really hurt. I turn on my computer to try and calm down (can't sleep in this state) and wtf do I see? A study that says i feel pain right now. Well duh! I physically feel pain and my gut is wrapped up like a turban.
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Go canucks, habs, and sens!