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Consideration #1: Handle Break-ups With Dignity

Adrenaline and the Broken Heart How we handle break-ups says a lot about us, whether we’re the breaker or the breakee. Unfortunately, sometimes the person who did not decide to end the relationship has the toughest road ahead. We have the obvious sadness and anger that comes with feeling rejected or abandoned, partnered with the knowledge that the people around us are watching to see how we’ll conduct ourselves. Part of the reason for all the scrutiny is that in times of stress, people who feel rejected or abandoned might be tempted to indulge in a  progression of behaviors that, if left unchecked, can go from commonplace to criminal. Most people can refocus their energy before they do something unfortunate, and examining some physiological links between loss and adrenaline can help us understand why some people go too far. What is it that makes us behave in ways that we know are self-destructive? There’s a possibility that adrenaline and dopamine could be c