Watch: This is what a break-up does to your brain

Most people who have had a failed relationship can tell you how terrible their break-up had made them feel. Perhaps you might have personally experienced this as well. But have you ever wondered why break-ups feel so bad? Well, this video will give you a perfectly scientific explanation for this and perhaps some comfort that what you’re experiencing is completely human.

The video shows neuroscientist Dr. Lucy Brown explaining about her famed 2010 experiment, in which her team observed the brain activity of the recently heart-broken using an MRI machine. The study participants were shown photos of both a platonic friend and a recent ex and then the brains’ responses to each photo were then compared.

It was found that looking at a photo of an ex had activated the same brain regions that are stimulated when someone’s going through cocaine withdrawal. This means that falling in love is a lot like drug addiction, which makes quitting it really hard.

Even when a relationship is over, there’s still a part of the brain that refuses to believe that those romantic feelings are dead. So, the next time you feel awful about a break-up, just remember that this is just a natural reaction and your soul isn’t really being ripped apart.

Click on the link below to view the video: