Romantic grief is the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral response to the loss of an intimate partner relationship. Although not socially recognized as grief for death, research shows that the brain activates similar regions (insula, anterior cingulate cortex) and that the duration can be months or years.
Concept origin
Fisher HE, Brown LL, Strong G, Mashek DK. (2010). Reward, addiction, and emotion regulation systems associated with rejection in romantic love. Journal of Neurophysiology, 104(1), 51-60. doi:10.1152/jn.00784.2009 · Sbarra DA, Hazan C. (2008). Coregulation, dysregulation, self-regulation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2(5), 1760-1774. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2008.00137.x
How it manifests
- ▸ Waves of intense emotional pain
- ▸ Recurrent thoughts about ex-partner
- ▸ Physiological activation at reminders
- ▸ Changes in sleep, appetite, and energy
Therapeutic approach
CBT for grief works on narrative integration of the relationship and the breakup. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps relate to pain without avoiding it. EMDR can be useful for processing intrusive memories.
Related concepts
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