A couple sits along the breakwater on Manila Bay as storm clouds gather on the horizon. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA — Binge eating and excessive sleeping have become conventional coping mechanisms for the brokenhearted. But experts say these aren’t the only things the public should be wary about.

Oftent, chest pains and heavy breathing by those in stressful situations are brushed aside with just a glass of water. Cardiologists warn that more should actually be done.

Speaking to the media, Dr. Ceres Canto — pediatric cardiologist at the Philippine Heart Center — explains this particular episode is called takotsubo cardiomyopathy  or ‘broken heart syndrome’ is a condition induced primarily by stress.

Aside from a heartbreak, other extreme stressful events that usually cause this are loss of work, grieving the death of a loved one, a serious accident or even natural disasters.

“When the body experiences severe trauma or emotional, psychological stress, nagre-release ng stress hormones yung utak (the brain releases stress hormones). And it causes a cascade of reactions and the end result is extreme stress of the heart," she said.

Ceres said this should not be taken lightly especially as it can lead to death. 

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SYMPTOMS SIMILAR TO HEART ATTACK

“It’s a serious condition because the end result, depending on the manifestations, is heart failure and at rare times, death.”

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, according to Harvard Health Publishing was first described in Japan as “a weakening of the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber.”

It has similar symptoms to that of a heart attack — but less dramatic. 

These include severe pressure, heaviness or chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, cold sweats or lightheadedness.

There is no specific treatment for broken heart syndrome. Dr. Canto says it’s mainly supportive.

“May mga binibigay na gamot, oxygen, fluids para mabigyan ng pagkakataon yung heart na magrecover. It is reversible.”

(We give medicines, oxygen and fluids to allow the heart to recover. It’s reversible.)

While the broken heart syndrome can be overcome, experts say the road to recovery is an arduous yet necessary process.

Dr. Ed Michael Putiz, training coordinator at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) said those overcoming stress and trauma must give themselves time to feel the pain, assess the emotions evoked by the pain and identify how to act and react to them.

“Timing is very important. The readiness of an individual only depends on the person. Kapag yung isang tao, competely dine-deny niya na yung negative experience, then hindi rin ito effective way of moving on,” he said.

(If a person completely denies a negative experience, it’s also not an effective way of moving on.)

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Hence, support systems are also important for recovery. While friends and family must give the broken hearted time, being ready to intervene when circumstances call for it is vital.

“We draw the line if the domains of function, self-care, interpersonal and intrapersonal connections are affected. If they no longer take a bath or go to work, then we definitely need to intervene,” Putiz said.

Putiz says from 2019 to the end of January 2025, the NCMH Crisis Hotline has received some 95,000 calls. Among the top reasons for the calls are problems with love, relationships and family

Experts advise those who feel the need to seek for professional help to get in touch with the NCMH Crisis Hotline 0917-899-8727. Services here are free, confidential and offer “a haven for those in mental health crisis.”