The neuroscience of relationship breakups

This is an interesting article on why relationship breakups are so physically painful by Melanie Greeberg, Ph.D. The photo is an MRI of a brain during a breakup showing the pain centers are highlighted.

Our brains appear to process relationship breakups similarly to physical pain. There may be an evolutionary reason for this. The function of pain is to alert the person to physical danger or harm so she can take protective action. In the animal kingdom, one's chances of avoiding predators are much higher as part of a group than alone, therefore social rejection may have been an actual threat to physical survival for our early ancestors. If this is the case, it might partially explain how difficult it is for many people to let go of the ex-partner and move on.