Broken heart

1938 poster for an adaptation of Avery Hopwood's Why Men Leave Home, showing a physically cracked heart symbol as a metaphor for unhappiness in love

A broken heart (also known as heartbreak or heartache) is a metaphor for the intense emotional stress or pain one feels at experiencing great loss or deep longing. The concept is cross-cultural, often cited with reference to unreciprocated or lost love.[1]

Failed romantic love or unrequited love can be extremely painful; people with a broken heart may succumb to depression, anxiety and, in more extreme cases, post-traumatic stress disorder.[2][3]

  1. ^ Johnson, R. Skip. "A Broken Heart can Really Hurt You". BPDFamily.com. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  2. ^ Zisook, S; Shuchter, SR (October 1991). "Depression through the first year after the death of a spouse". American Journal of Psychiatry. 148 (10): 1346–52. doi:10.1176/ajp.148.10.1346. PMID 1897615.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference goleman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).