The Mycenaean

When someone mentions heartbreak, many people immediately think of relationships. But there are more ways one can feel the sting of a broken heart. It can come from the loss of a loved one, the loss of a dream, or even the loss of oneself. Heartbreak can take many forms, not just in love, but in life, too. 

The stereotypical “heartbreak” comes from a breakup between two romantic partners. Someone isn’t happy in the relationship and they end it, leaving the other, or possibly both of them, crushed. There are multiple kinds of romantic heartbreaks, some hurting more than others. 

Unrequited love is a heartbreak that comes long before the relationship ends. For a relationship to succeed, it needs to go both ways. When one person puts more effort or energy into it than their partner, it can cause this kind of heartbreak. It’s the feeling of being betrayed by someone you care about, who doesn’t seem to care the same for you. 

Another romantic heartbreak comes from a blindsided breakup. This can also happen in friendships when there are no signs that anyone is unhappy, and yet someone decides to end it. These can hurt more than when it’s clear one or even both people are discontent. 

In an unrequited relationship, one person usually begins to notice that something is off long before a breakup happens. This gives time to accept and prepare for its end. While in a blindsided breakup, there is no room to prepare, and all the overwhelming feelings flood you at once. 

Family can cause many people’s very first heartbreaks. A family should feel safe and secure, and when it doesn’t, it can be hard to accept. If a child is kicked out of the house, ignored, abused, or even forgotten by someone they loved and trusted since birth, it can take the place of their first heartbreak. When a child doesn’t feel their love being reciprocated in the household, similar to an unbalanced relationship, it can be crushing.

A type of heartbreak that many don’t know is the loss of yourself. This type of heartbreak is subconscious, and you may not realize it’s happening. It could stem from the death of someone close, being fired from work, or failing classes. But it often comes when someone is facing a difficult time. When someone says they “haven’t felt like themselves recently,” they’re subconsciously facing the heartbreak of losing themselves and who they once were. This heartbreak is one of the hardest kinds, because many don’t know how to deal with it properly until it’s too late. 

Illnesses and injuries are also a large contributing factor to many types of heartbreak. Being diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness can be devastating, especially for someone at a young age. Being diagnosed with cancer, for example, can be almost impossible to process. Many immediately think about the dreams, goals, and even futures that could be taken from them. Having to face the fact that they might never be the same physically is a hard pill to swallow. 

Along the same lines, many young athletes face life-altering injuries, forcing them to lose college scholarships and even careers. Physical things like sports and hobbies that someone grows so attached to can feel like the loss of a person when they’re gone.

In the realm of loss, the death of a family member is many people’s first real heartbreak. Grief is one of the hardest things in life to endure, but at one point, everyone will face it. It’s the one heartbreak no one can avoid. Even the death of a friend or pet can be heart-shattering. The loss of someone from your life entirely can feel more like a hole in your heart, rather than it breaking. But the space held for them shows just how much you cared. That goes for all types of breakups, too. 

No matter how messy, toxic, or sudden, mourning the loss of someone or something you once loved is expected. But thankfully, heartbreak isn’t permanent. Heartbreak can be scary and devastating in the moment, but the heart keeps beating. It shouldn’t be a reason to give up, but a reason to fight harder for the things you love.