Many do not take seriously the symptoms of a "broken heart," caused by the breakdown of an emotional relationship, and assume that the state of heart pain will go away over time.
But heartache professor Guenter Seidler says heartache is a "very harmless" description: separations and misery in love not only lead to temporary unhappiness, but in fact make people sick.
He points out that the removal of heart pain is often what happens - but certainly not always. "The pain can last for two years, sometimes for life," Seidler said.
Elena Sun, the author of a book on heartache, says misery in love should not be crushed under the rug. "The symptoms can be similar to those of depression." Those who suffer the unhappiness of love can be exposed to the lack of the correct view of things, and control of despair and despair, with insomnia and lack of appetite and lethargy.
Sun runs an advisory agency specializing in dealing with these heartache cases only. Most of the people she helps are aged between 30 and 40, but she also sees many over 70.
“Older people often ask themselves if this is the last time they will fall in love.”
What is important for people, regardless of their age, is to take care of themselves properly, she says. "It is useful for many to talk about their situation and to know the things that still make sense in their lives." They can be a job they find satisfying, a hobby or good friends. But what does one do when nothing works?
"Some people are constantly tormented by memories," said Seidler. "These memories are relentlessly storming people's minds and feeling helpless." In some cases, they may need outside help.
But heartache is not always a dark comrade who slowly takes a bigger place in people's lives. In some cases, it may be fatal, a phenomenon known as broken heart syndrome. People with this syndrome suffer from severe heart failure caused by emotional stress.