Apart from experiencing the death of a friend or a loved one - or facing chronic depression - having a broken heart can be one of the most acute kinds of emotional pain you can experience.
This is because the end of a love relationship can mean a complete and sudden life change.
You lose someone to hug, hold and comfort you.
You lose someone to confide in.
You lose someone with whom you can be freely intimate.
It is even common to miss the smell of the other person, or the sound of their voice.
Yes, heartache can hurt on many, many levels.
What makes facing a broken heart even harder is that usually nobody around you understands what you are going through.
Sure, most of them have been there at one point or another.
But, somehow, the acute pain of a broken heart fades with time (one of nature's small mercies) - so the people around you probably have forgotten just how bad it can get.
Looking for ways to heal a broken heart? Here are 5 ways: 1.
Give yourself plenty of space: You need to start by giving yourself plenty of space.
And, I don't just mean space apart from your ex.
I am talking about space apart from everyone.
Why is this so important? Because it is likely that nobody around you is going through something similar right now in their lives.
Or, if they are, their situation is different than yours.
That's right: you are in this alone.
So, rather than feeling awkward or odd about being around other people who just don't understand - choose not to be around them at all.
Get away for a few days (or longer, if you can).
Change your usual social patterns.
Giving yourself some time alone will allow your heart, head and spirit the time it needs to heal.
2.
Reconnect with your roots: Once you have given yourself that initial space away from just about everybody close to you, the next stage in the healing process is to reconnect with that which matters to you most.
Often, after a breakup, it is easy to forget who we are just a little bit.
We get out of touch with that which makes us laugh, that which makes us happy.
To get back in touch with that innocent, gleeful part of yourself again, try visiting the place where you grew up.
Or, go through an old box (yes, box - you know, the ones from when you were a kid) of photos.
Reconnecting with your roots is a great way to remember who you are following a breakup.
3.
Do some small thing for your soul every day: In order to heal that aching organ known as your heart, do at least one small thing to please your soul each day.
It could be reading a favorite book of quotations.
It could be getting yourself a special cup of coffee.
Or, maybe you drop by the toy store and pick up an old favorite from when you were a kid.
Sound silly? Don't knock it until you've tried it.
Doing these things can help you remember, day by day, that you are not your heartache.
It is just a very real, but very passing, thing that you will soon be over.
4.
Take care of your physical well-being and health: Sometimes when we are hurting emotionally, it is easy to let our health go by the wayside.
Don't let this happen to you.
Take care of yourself every day.
Get enough sleep, get enough exercise, and eat well.
You would be surprised how much a little self love and attention can help you through the hard times.
5.
Consider re-uniting with your ex: If you are one of those unfortunate souls who have broken up with your lover but still feel strongly that you should be together, I have news for you: you may be right! Just because fate has dealt you this hand doesn't mean that fate has the upper hand in your love life.
Instead, the one who has the upper hand in deciding how you feel and act is supposed to be you! If you sincerely believe that you should still be with your ex (and that somewhere deep down your ex may feel the same way), consider doing whatever it takes to get back together with him or her.
You just may have more influence over the situation than you think.
This is because the end of a love relationship can mean a complete and sudden life change.
You lose someone to hug, hold and comfort you.
You lose someone to confide in.
You lose someone with whom you can be freely intimate.
It is even common to miss the smell of the other person, or the sound of their voice.
Yes, heartache can hurt on many, many levels.
What makes facing a broken heart even harder is that usually nobody around you understands what you are going through.
Sure, most of them have been there at one point or another.
But, somehow, the acute pain of a broken heart fades with time (one of nature's small mercies) - so the people around you probably have forgotten just how bad it can get.
Looking for ways to heal a broken heart? Here are 5 ways: 1.
Give yourself plenty of space: You need to start by giving yourself plenty of space.
And, I don't just mean space apart from your ex.
I am talking about space apart from everyone.
Why is this so important? Because it is likely that nobody around you is going through something similar right now in their lives.
Or, if they are, their situation is different than yours.
That's right: you are in this alone.
So, rather than feeling awkward or odd about being around other people who just don't understand - choose not to be around them at all.
Get away for a few days (or longer, if you can).
Change your usual social patterns.
Giving yourself some time alone will allow your heart, head and spirit the time it needs to heal.
2.
Reconnect with your roots: Once you have given yourself that initial space away from just about everybody close to you, the next stage in the healing process is to reconnect with that which matters to you most.
Often, after a breakup, it is easy to forget who we are just a little bit.
We get out of touch with that which makes us laugh, that which makes us happy.
To get back in touch with that innocent, gleeful part of yourself again, try visiting the place where you grew up.
Or, go through an old box (yes, box - you know, the ones from when you were a kid) of photos.
Reconnecting with your roots is a great way to remember who you are following a breakup.
3.
Do some small thing for your soul every day: In order to heal that aching organ known as your heart, do at least one small thing to please your soul each day.
It could be reading a favorite book of quotations.
It could be getting yourself a special cup of coffee.
Or, maybe you drop by the toy store and pick up an old favorite from when you were a kid.
Sound silly? Don't knock it until you've tried it.
Doing these things can help you remember, day by day, that you are not your heartache.
It is just a very real, but very passing, thing that you will soon be over.
4.
Take care of your physical well-being and health: Sometimes when we are hurting emotionally, it is easy to let our health go by the wayside.
Don't let this happen to you.
Take care of yourself every day.
Get enough sleep, get enough exercise, and eat well.
You would be surprised how much a little self love and attention can help you through the hard times.
5.
Consider re-uniting with your ex: If you are one of those unfortunate souls who have broken up with your lover but still feel strongly that you should be together, I have news for you: you may be right! Just because fate has dealt you this hand doesn't mean that fate has the upper hand in your love life.
Instead, the one who has the upper hand in deciding how you feel and act is supposed to be you! If you sincerely believe that you should still be with your ex (and that somewhere deep down your ex may feel the same way), consider doing whatever it takes to get back together with him or her.
You just may have more influence over the situation than you think.