Why Brain Treats Social Pain in Similar Way to Physical Pain
New research reveals that how brain takes the rejection
Here are some facts on relationship between Social Rejection
and brain
Social
Rejection Triggers Release of Natural Painkillers in the Brain
New study demonstrates that the brain treats social pain in
a similar way to physical pain.
Being rejected by other people is no fun.
Contrary to the old ‘sticks and stones’ saying, it seems
words can and do hurt, and the brain responds accordingly.
A new study from the University of Michigan Medical School
has found that the body produces natural painkillers in response to social
rejection, just as if it had suffered a physical injury (Hsu et al., 2013).
The lead author, Assistant Professor David T. Hsu,
explained:
“This is the first study to peer into the human brain to
show that the opioid system is activated during social rejection. In general,
opioids [are] released during social distress and isolation in animals, but
where this occurs in the human brain has not been shown until now.”
In the study, social rejection was simulated in the lab.
Eighteen participants were asked to look at fictional online dating profiles
and choose some they were interested in.
Then, while lying in a PET scanner, they were told they’d
been rejected by their potential online dates.
The scans showed that in response to the rejection, the
brain sent out painkillers in the form of opioids into the spaces between
neurons. This dampens down the pain signals.
In fact participants knew in advance that the online dating
profiles were not real, and neither was the rejection. Nevertheless, the
simulated situation was still enough to set off the release of painkillers.
Participants who were highly resilient were the most likely
to produce high levels of the natural painkiller.
At the other end of the scale, those with low painkiller
production may be particularly vulnerable to rejection. One of the authors,
Professor Jon-Kar Zubieta explained:
“It is possible that those with depression or social anxiety
are less capable of releasing opioids during times of social distress, and
therefore do not recover as quickly or fully from a negative social
experience.”
This is further evidence that social pain is not as
different from physical pain as many thought. More and more research is
pointing to an overlap in the brain’s response to both.
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