In this February 2019 episode of Stuff You Should Know, hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant look at breakup studies to understand what's going on in our brains after the end of a relationship and what might make the process easier.

Breaking up with someone is hard — it can sometimes feel physically painful or like trying to overcome an addiction.

The hurt and difficulty people experience during breakups are legitimate and caused by the brain's reaction to the experience.

Studies show that brain chemistry can be dramatically affected at the end of a romantic relationship, with the same areas activated as during injury or substance withdrawal.

The Stuff You Should Know podcast, hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, offers accessible, science-based information on a broad range of topics.

This February 2019 episode uses several studies to explore how people break up, what's going on in our brains when a relationship ends, and the things that could help us to process it.