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10 awful things that happen to your body when you break up
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Can you actually die of a broken heart? - photo by Melinda Fox
Breaking up with your significant other impacts more than just your social life, as it can causes significant stress on your body. Our bodies have several responses to help us deal with this stress. However, there are also negative consequences of these responses.

Here are 10 of the terrible reactions your body has to a breakup:

1. You feel physical pain

"Love hurts" is more than some metaphorical song lyric. Did you know that a study determined that acetaminophen (the main ingredient in pain killers like Tylenol) actually reduces the pain of a break up? This is because a broken heart can cause physical pain.

In a different study, participants devastated from breakups looked at a series of photos, including pictures of their exes. As the scientists scanned their brain responses, they discovered that the brain's physical pain receptors lit up when they saw the photos of their former partner. So if someone tells you the pain of your break up is "all in your head," they're right, but literally.

2. You lose your hair

Many people wonder why they lose so much hair after a breakup. But just like in any stressful situation, the body tries to fix the issue. In this case, the stress can trigger an auto-immune condition which attacks your hair follicles or increases the production of androgen, which causes female pattern baldness. The good news is that as you recover from the heart-break, your hair should grow back.

3. You have an existential crisis

When you break up with your partner, it can be challenging to remember who you are without them. While in a relationship, it's common to change beliefs, appearance, activities, plans, etc. as a result of living life with another person. These changes may be slight but because of these changes, it can be challenging for you to have a clear sense of self since you are no longer the person you were in the relationship, but neither are you the person you were before the relationship.

4. You gain or lose weight

A common reaction to the stress of a breakup is to either eat everything or nothing. When you're stressed, more adrenaline enters your system, raising cortisol levels. Cortisol, a stress hormone, functions to help the body use sugar and fat. The abnormal level of cortisol can cause your body to misread feelings of hunger as a need to eat more sugar and fatty foods or to not eat at all.

5. You get headaches

Not only does cortisol entice you to eat more or make you lose your appetite, it also makes your muscles swollen and sore. The stress caused by the break up makes your body enter fight or flight mode and sends more blood to your muscles. But since you aren't releasing that additional power, it makes your muscles ache and causes headaches.

6. You get sick

Maybe our heroine in "Sense and Sensibility" was actually onto something. Stress and loneliness actually have the power to weaken your immune system. Because your body is handling the stress, it doesn't focus as much effort on fighting off germs entering your body. So a broken heart can actually make you physically ill.

7. You get depression

Any loss creates deep feelings of sadness. But break ups are an especial trigger for depression, because the grief is mixed with feelings of humiliation and lowered self-esteem.

8. You experience withdrawals

Scientists have discovered that love really is a drug. While in a relationship, your brain becomes accustomed to the "high" from daily love experiences that are similar to the effects of drugs. So when you lose the relationship, you also lose those stimuli. Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that your body experiences withdrawals similar to a body's response to being cut off from drugs. In fact, your cravings for your significant other can be very real. Once your body becomes used to not getting a fix from love, you will go back to normal.

9. Your heart can break

Believe it or not, your heart can literally break when you lose your significant other. As a result of a break up, part of your heart can enlarge, preventing it from pumping well. This is commonly referred to as "broken heart syndrome." If you have shortness of breath or intense chest pain, see a doctor.

10. You can die

It may sound dramatic, or like something out of a soap opera but scientists say it actually is possible to die of a broken heart. Researchers say that the loss of a loved one is traumatic on the body and the influx of stress hormones can cause heart spasms. These spasms are potentially life threatening and you should see a doctor if you are experiencing them.
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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