This is a concept used by hundreds of authors, poets, and song writers: Death from a broken heart. It has been used so often that it has gained a sort of mythical status. And it is something that science hasn't been able to prove or disprove. So my question is: Can someone really die of a broken heart?

So far, I have only written one poem about how love became a plague that killed all the weak. It was actually rather unsettling...

Depression can cause your immune system to shut down. So yes, you can die from a broken heart. Not instantly, but a slow, sad,and suffering death. Depression has a big effect on the brain and your body. It easily over powers everything. Notice how you feel weak when depressed. So i say it is true.

Slightly Wrong Beefytacoo


Sand Josieph --- A quick search using the find feature or on Google would have supplied you with your answer.

The condition is called Transient Apical Ballooning, Stress-induced cardiomyopathy. Or colloqealy refered to as 'Broken-Heart Syndrome'.

A severe shock such as the loss of a loved one can cause (in some people) a flood of chemicals into the blood that will cause the individual to suffer heart failure.

quote:

Originally posted by galaktia:
Slightly Wrong Beefytacoo

The only thing beefytacoo got slightly wrong was that he said depression can "shut down" your immune system. That's a bit strong, but it can definitely weaken your immune system.

Aside from your "broken-heart syndrome" please offer some evidence that beefytacoo got it wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by beefytacoo:
Not instantly, but a slow, sad,and suffering death.

Beefytacoo stated the above, that you can't die instantly from a broken heart.

This is quite wrong, Transiet apical Ballooning stress-induced cardiomyopathy can kill as instantly as most medical conditions, (discounting of course gun shots, slit throats etc).

Therefore Beefytacoo was incorrect.



And in that depression can shut down the immune system he was... sort of correct, stress and depression release cortisol that acts as an anasthetic to white blood cells.

I guess we could refer to all types of love related situations. I can't remember exactly what it was, but my ninth grade english teacher told me of a boy who was so badly treated, he basicly died of a broken heart while getting off his school bus.

This might be something completely different, but what if some lost their life passion, as in something they have poured their hearts and minds into it, only to watch it get taken away. Could that kill someone, too?

Does guilt kill as well? Even if it wasn't anybody's fault?

Technically any situation that causes a sharp increase in the mixture of stress and depression related chemicals in the blood can cause Transient Apical Ballooning Stress induced cardiomyopathy.

So yes, guilt,
depression over losing a love, a life meaning or just a situation
fear

A quick search on Pubmed shows that what Galaktia is talking about is a medically proven occurence.

However, the original poster stated that "science hasn't proven or disproven" I'm going to take this to mean that he is talking about something other then medical condition.

My grandfather died of a stroke. Six months later my grandmother, who had been in reasonably good health died. I remember my mother saying that after grandfather passed away she no longer had the will to live. I think this is more along the lines of what the OP was talking about.

There is a medical condition that science has tried to hang on this. However, I do believe that some people in certain situations just simply no longer have the will to live. When this happens the body finds a way to make it so.

The example about my grandparents is in no way medical proff. I only told the story to illastrate my point.

Thanks for your time.

mc

Idealcrap, my parents died under similar circumstances. Mom had a stroke in September 2001. She never improved, didn't want to do PT because it hurt, so she just kinda hung in there. Dad pestered the doctors for months trying to get a straight answer from them about her chances. All the stress and worry put him in the hospital with a heart attack. While he was in the hospital, he finally got the straight answer he was looking for, and it wasn't good. He checked himself out AMA that day, and went home to Mom. That night, he went back to the hospital, where he died of congestive heart failure. Mom hung on for another month, but declined quickly after Dad died. I think he went home that last time to say goodbye. All of our family thinks that they were staying alive for each other.

Now for the really weird part: Dad died February 14, Valentine's Day. Mom died March 12, their wedding anniversary.

I tried to post my parents' situation here as anecdotal evidence, but fell victim to the filter. I'm not sure what triggered it, but I hope it's allowed through.

Many of the guys I worked with have retired and died almost immediately, if they've worked to 65.
Fewer die when they, like me, retired in their 50s.
The company of course makes it quite difficult now to retire early, preferring to send out the average 7 months of pension checks over the many years of checks to us early retirees.
Current wisdom has it that if the retiree has no interests other than work, he's dead quickly. Those with outside interests keep going and going, and going...

go into the military you retire in 20years and they dont care if you live or die, actually the rather you live and it is a 50k a year retirement guarntee

Ming, I believe that you are right. One of the places that I use to deal poker had a huge retirement community so I dealt with lots of old people. They always told me that the number one killer of old people was retirement.

I use to see the same people everyday, all day. They just need something to do to give them a reason to get up.

mc

quote:

Originally posted by beefytacoo:
go into the military you retire in 20years and they dont care if you live or die, actually the rather you live and it is a 50k a year retirement guarntee

.
This is a very good way to have a very decent retirement.
Join young, get out at 38, get another job, early retirement from that, and it's fat city ever after!