Dealing With A Breakup: How To Stop Feeling Sick And Start Feeling Better
A good friend of mine called me the other day. Her boyfriend of hers 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 dumped me… now I have the flu.”
Sounds familiar? If you’re 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 the ‘breakup flu’, keep reading. 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 their body. Your immune system breaks down, leaving you vulnerable to catching whatever bugs are circulating. Not only that, stress brings its own symptoms. These are the most common physical symptoms I’ve seen (and experienced) that appear after a breakup:
- Accelerated heart
- stomachache
- vomiting
- Headaches
- insomnia
- numbness in hands, fingers, feet
- cold/flu symptoms: cough, congestion, fever, aches and pains
How to get over the upset after a breakup
The stress and anxiety of your breakup is causing your symptoms. Here’s how to treat stress, so your symptoms go away fast:
1. Take a day or two off. Breakout flu is cause 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 isn’t helping. So you need…
2. Learn to relax. Find what works for you to let your body and mind release tension. If your mind starts racing and you feel physically anxious, stop and take a deep breath, or do some light exercise. If you are in pain, lie down with a heating pad or take a warm bath. Distract your mind: read magazines, do a hobby you enjoy, 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 soft drinks contain caffeine, which will increase your heart rate, keep you awake, and add to the jitters in your stomach. If you must have caffeine, try tea or choose a medium brown coffee. Or, stick to one caffeinated drink per day and keep the rest decaffeinated. 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 about a minute), but you’re not doing your body any favors. Cakes, sweets, 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 you’re 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.