- Writing Prompt: What Heartbreak Feels Like
- Heartbreak, when in its active state, feels like an energy-sucking black hole beneath the sternum. The physical ache might be so great that there is nothing one can do but roll around on the bed in anguish. The limbs feel abnormally heavy, and one doesn’t have the energy to do anything but lay in bed sobbing with despair. Despite the lack of energy, it is difficult to sleep. Only when exhausted from crying can one drift off into a numbing slumber. Sleeping is the only (temporary) escape from the pain. The desire to do something–anything–to rid the torment is monstrous and futile; the urge to reach inside one’s chest and rip the pain out is excruciating and hopeless. More hopeless is the knowledge that only time will heal the wound and cease the suffering. It is a waiting game of enduring the pain. Although crying brings relief, sometimes the torment has not built up enough for the watery release but is still enough that there is not enough energy or joy to do anything else but lay in bed. This is a torturous state. Heartbreak usually rotates in a vicious cycle of crying, sleep, and numbness.
- In its passive state, heartbreak feels like what one might imagine feeling if they were a zombie. One might walk through daily life on autopilot, teeter-tottering between sadness and apathy. Very little, if anything, brings joy. We go through the motions, but feel nothing. Sometimes this state of numbness is a welcome reprieve from the physical pain that heartbreak brings. The absence of feeling is a short respite before the surmounting storm that inevitably brings another round of active heartbreak. Personally, I welcome the foggy numbness that clouds my mind. Unfortunately, this state only lasts a short period of time.
- When in the throes of heartbreak, the best thing one can do is to distract oneself, as difficult as it may be. Depending on the level of one’s energy, activities like watching t.v., chatting with understanding friends, reading, or even going out are ideal. Something that is a huge help for me is watching or reading others talk or advise about heartbreak. Finding camaraderie in a fellow heartbroken individual (whether in person, online, or watching a Youtube video) helps to know you’re not alone in the struggle. This can be comforting. Another source of comfort is listening to professionals talk about heartbreak: Ted Talks, self-help books, podcasts, et cetera, are all very useful to alleviate the anguish. Ultimately, endurance is the key. Keep gritting your teeth and powering through, and the load will lighten day by day.
aug 10 2024 ∞
aug 10 2024 +