What Did Ancient Humans Do When Their Heart Was Broken?

Right now, somewhere, someone just read a goodbye text and felt like the floor disappeared under them. Fifty thousand years ago, someone felt the exact same thing, minus the phone. This video explores what actually happens in your brain during heartbreak, based on real neuroscience research showing that romantic rejection activates the same brain regions as physical pain. We also dig into how ancient civilizations dealt with the exact same problem, including a real self-help book written by the Roman poet Ovid two thousand years ago, a medieval medical diagnosis called "lovesickness," and one of the oldest legal codes in history that already had rules for when relationships ended. If you've ever wondered why heartbreak physically hurts, or whether ancient people felt it the same way you do, this one's for you. Subscribe for more deep dives into the psychology and history behind the things we feel every day. Sources: Eisenberger, N. I., Lieberman, M. D., & Williams, K. D. (2003). "Does Rejection Hurt? An fMRI Study of Social Exclusion." Science. DeWall, C. N., et al. (2010). "Acetaminophen Reduces Social Pain." Psychological Science — note: later replication attempts have produced mixed results. Ovid. Remedia Amoris (The Cure for Love), c. 2 BCE. Wack, M. F. (1990). Lovesickness in the Middle Ages: The Viaticum and Its Commentaries — on the medieval diagnosis "amor hereos." Plutarch. Demetrius — the Erasistratus/Antiochus anecdote, historicity debated among scholars. The Code of Hammurabi, c. 1754 BCE — Babylonian legal provisions on marriage and divorce. Fisher, H., Brown, L. L., Aron, A., et al. (2010). "Reward, Addiction, and Emotion Regulation Systems Associated with Rejection in Love." Journal of Neurophysiology. Disclaimer: This video is for educational purposes. Some historical anecdotes are noted where their accuracy is debated among historians. #psychology #ancienthistory #heartbreak #didyouknow #neuroscience #humanbehavior #anthropology #historyfacts #relationships #sciencefacts