You Can Heal A Broken Heart: Scientists Discover We're 'Hardwired' To Move On

Can You Ever Get Over A Broken Heart? Science Says Yes

What becomes of the broken hearted?

If you've been enjoying thoughts of your ex pining after you, you may want to stop reading now.

Scientists have discovered that humans are actually 'hardwired' to overcome heartbreak and find new love.

The researchers conducted a review of studies that examined the process of falling out of love and breaking up, which - in the spirit of the language of love - they call 'primary mate ejection'.

They also looked into the process of moving on to develop a new romantic relationship, which they call 'secondary mate ejection' (which is a great term to call to mind when someone next accuses you of being on the rebound).

"It suggests people will recover; the pain will go away with time. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel."

The researchers added that the ability to break up and find someone new to love lies along a continuum, and is influenced by environmental and genetic factors, which in layman terms means that not everyone's experience of heartbreak will be the same and some people are more likely to have problems moving on than others.

So if you're struggling to get over the end of a relationship, the good news is you will, - that's a scientific fact.

On the other hand your ex is probably over you.

Sorry.

Boutwell hopes that further research into the science of breakups might lead us to a better understanding of the difficulties that can creep into a romantic relationship.

"If we better understand mate ejection, it may offer direct and actionable insight into ways in which couples can save a relationship that might otherwise come to stultifying and abrupt halt," he said.

Previous research has used brain scans to show that our brains change when we fall in love - and when we fall out of love.

A group of scientists from China and Australia found that after a breakup, activity in the brain's reward center decreases, indicating a drop in pleasure.

Anna Zilverstand, co-author of the study, told The Huffington Post that she hopes the research may help in developing 'interventions to alleviate the negative impact of breakup'.

So with so many scientists hard at work, hopefully the misery of a broken heart will soon be a thing of the past.

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