Can You Die From A Broken Heart? | Pt 1

Can You Die From A Broken Heart? | Pt 1

From Figuring It Out by Dr Alex George

July 5, 2026 · 32 min

About this episode

Dr Alex George and Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science of heartbreak and its effects on the body and mind.

Can heartbreak actually break your heart? Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science of heartbreak, rejection and emotional pain. They explain why the brain processes heartbreak in similar ways to physical pain, what heartbreak does to your body, and what research says about recovering after a breakup. We're not here to give medical advice, we’re just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. New episodes arrive every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Monday tackles the Big Question, Tuesday answers a real listener dilemma, and Wednesday separates Myth, Fact and It's Complicated on the most common claims surrounding the week's topic. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Dr Alex George

Guest: Dr Kathryn Bates

Topics covered

  • heartbreak
  • emotional pain
  • science of rejection
  • recovery after breakup
  • mental health

Keywords

  • broken heart
  • heartbreak
  • emotional pain
  • rejection
  • mental health
  • recovery
  • science

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