How to get over a broken heart:

How to get over a broken heart: take two aspirin and stop talking Psychology Professor Water Mischel, of Columbia University, believes that talking about break-ups with friends only makes the situation worse and suggests painkillers and less brooding Sarah Knapton By Sarah Knapton, It was once thought that only time could mend a broken heart, but now scientists think popping a couple of aspirin might be the best way to get over a break-up. Psychology Professor Water Mischel, of Columbia University, believes that the psychological pain of ending a relationship is similar to physical pain, and should be treated like any other injury. He also believes that discussing feelings with friends will only increase depression and advises keeping brooding to a minimum. “When we speak about rejection experiences in terms of physical pain, it is not just a metaphor – the broken heart and emotional pain really do hurt in a physical way," he said. “When you look at a picture of the one who broke your heart, you experience a pain in a similar area of the brain which is activated when you burn your arm. "‘Take two aspirins and call me in the morning’ would be a cold-hearted response to a friend’s late-night report of fresh heartbreak, but it has a solid basis in the research.” Previous studies have shown that people experience feelings of romantic rejection in the same way that they experience physical pain. Research subjects given a simple non-prescription painkiller, like aspirin or ibuprofen, were shown to handle feelings of rejection better than those given a placebo. And while most people recount break-ups and other painful experiences by recalling events and speaking to friends, Prof Mischel believes that it is important to view heartbreak from a distance. “Common wisdom suggests that if we thoroughly revisit our negative experiences to try to understand why they happened, we’ll eventually be able to move on,” he said. “However, new research is showing that some people only get worse by continuing to brood and ruminate. “Each time they recount the experience to themselves, their friends or their therapist, they only become more depressed. Self-distancing, in contrast, allows them to get a more objective view, without reactivating their pain, and helps them get past the experience.” The ‘self-distancing’ technique has been show to lower blood pressure caused by emotional distress. Prof Mischel developed the ‘Stanford Marshmallow Test’ which predicts whether children will succeed in later life by inviting them to eat one marshmallow right away, or wait 15 minutes and eat two. The original studies were carried out in the 1960s and 1970s, and follow up research has showed that those children who delayed gratification were far more likely to do better in exams and have lower BMI. Prof Mischel has collated his research in a new book, The Marshmallow Test; Unverstanding Self-Control and How to Master It.