There is little that can be done about heartbreak. Or is it? Research shows that painkillers not only help against headaches, they can also reduce emotional pain.
Ibuprofen reduces emotional pain
Women who took ibobrufen in the study suffered less from emotionally painful experiences than women who received a placebo. The opposite happened with men:emotions were stimulated.
Paracetamol reduces your empathy
Have you taken a paracetamol? Then it could just be that you empathize less with the pain of others. The subjects studied felt even less pity for other persons. Read more.
Influence on your brain
The study conducted several tests that showed that your brain processes information differently after using a painkiller. Subjects surveyed were instructed to put a price on their own items. Those who took acetaminophen were willing to price their stuff lower. In another trial, people who took painkillers forgot to perform more tasks.
Unexpected effects
A University of California assistant professor finds it alarming. Consumers expect over-the-counter drugs to relieve their physical symptoms, but they don't expect any psychological effects.
More research needed
More research needs to be done to find out whether painkillers can be used for emotional pain and what the effects are in combination with other drugs or depression.
So:painkillers for heartbreak? Don't do that just yet.
