Coping With A Breakup: How To Stop Feeling Sick And Start Feeling Better
Lifestyle FashionA good friend of mine called me the other day. Her boyfriend broke up with her the day before and now? She was sick as a dog. “My life sucks,” she croaked. “It’s not bad enough that they left me… now I have the flu.”
Sounds familiar? If you’re anything like my friend, breakups literally make you physically sick. I’ve seen it happen to my relationship coaching clients…heck, I’ve been through it myself. If you’re dealing with a breakup and suffering from what I call ‘breakup flu’, read on. I’ll tell you exactly why you feel bad and how to start feeling better fast.
Is it normal to get physically sick after a breakup?
Everyone knows that breakups are stressful. What some people don’t know is how stress affects your body. His immune system crashes, leaving him vulnerable to catching whatever bugs are going around. Not only that, stress brings its own symptoms. Here are the most common physical symptoms I’ve seen (and experienced) that show up after a breakup:
- Accelerated heart
- Stomach ache
- vomiting
- Headaches
- insomnia
- numbness in hands, fingers, feet
- cold/flu symptoms: cough, congestion, fever, aches and pains
How to get over the discomfort after a breakup
The stress and anxiety of your breakup are causing your symptoms. Here’s how to treat stress so its symptoms go away fast:
1. Take a day or two off. Breakup flu is a reason to call in sick (just don’t tell them that’s what you have!) You’ll need some time to focus on taking care of yourself, and the added stress of work doesn’t help. So you need…
2. Learn to relax. Find what works for you so that your body and mind release tension. If your mind starts racing and you feel physical anxiety, stop and take a deep breath or do some light exercise. If you feel pain, lie down with a heating pad or take a hot bath. Take your mind off things: read magazines, do a hobby you like, or watch funny movies (or, if you’re like my friend, crime shows… American Justice’s Bill Curtis makes her feel better!) If all else fails, sleep . Which brings me to…
3. Eliminate caffeine. Coffee, energy drinks, and sodas contain caffeine, which will increase your heart rate, keep you awake, and increase the jitters in your stomach. If you must have caffeine, try tea or choose a medium coffee. Or, stick to one caffeinated beverage per day and keep the rest decaf. If you have trouble sleeping, try “relaxing” herbal teas or supplements that contain valerian root, chamomile, catnip, or lavender.
4. Avoid sugar and junk food. Loading up on ‘comfort food’ may make you feel better emotionally (for a minute or so), but you’re not doing your body any favors. Cakes, candies, and chips don’t have the nutrients you need for your immune system to recover. But at the same time…
5. You have to eat. Stick to nutritious things: meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs. If you’re like me and don’t have an appetite when stressed, try the soups (chicken soup is good). It’s also a good idea to take a daily multivitamin. If your stomach is really upset, mint or ginger tea will help soothe it.