How to Forget Someone Who Broke Your Heart in 24 Hours: A Method That Psychotherapists Don't Tell You About
Imagine waking up in the morning and the pain of separation no longer chokes you.
Neurobiologists have proven that our brain is capable of restructuring itself even within 24 hours.
At the core of this phenomenon is neuroplasticity, the ability of neurons to form new connections, rewriting painful memories.
For example, a 2022 study published in Nature Neuroscience found that intense physical activity for 45 minutes stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which speeds up the reprogramming of emotional centers.
Running, yoga, or even vigorous cleaning—anything that gets your body moving—reduces cortisol levels by 28% and increases dopamine, which is responsible for motivation.
But it is important not just to train, but to create a so-called emotional gap. Remove things that remind you of the person from sight: photographs, gifts, even smells.
Scientists from the University of Miami have discovered that olfactory receptors are directly connected to the hippocampus, where memories are stored.
Replace your perfume with citrus scents - they are associated with cheerfulness.
Step three is the "writing and burning" technique. Write down all the grievances on paper, but don't dwell on emotions. Add a rational analysis: "He didn't call because he was afraid of intimacy, not because I'm unworthy."
Burn the leaf, imagining the fire destroying old thought patterns. The ritual works because of the “closure effect”: the brain perceives the action as a point in history.
An experiment by psychologist James Pennebaker proved that people who wrote about traumatic events for 15 minutes a day reported a 40% reduction in anxiety after just one week. But there is a nuance: you can’t reread the text.
Another life hack is the “90-second rule.” Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroscientist, explains: any emotion peaks in 1.5 minutes and then begins to subside. When the pain hits, time it and breathe deeply: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8.
This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, stopping the panic response. Visualization also helps: imagine your ex in a funny situation (like wearing a duck costume).
You will see that humor will help destroy the ideal image that you have previously drawn in your brain.
