Is it possible to die of a broken heart? Some may think the relationship between
physical demise and a broken heart is only literary fiction from one of
Shakespeare’s plays. Research actually
demonstrates there can be a relationship between emotional problems and Cardiomyopathy. Harvard medical researchers were recently
quoted in the Chicago Tribune stating that massive release of stress hormones
can cause drastic changes in the hearts blood vessels, temporarily reducing
heart function. The Japanese have also
elaborated on this study calling it "Takotsubo's cardiomyopathy," referring to the
observation that the heart assumes the shape of a Japanese lobster trap, which
is called a "tako tsubo." The patients develop chest pain and
shortness of breath. The good news for these patients is that the condition is
usually reversible with proper medical care.
It’s good to know this information is available and is taken seriously
by the medical field.
Most
people who have enjoyed the emotion of true love, whether it is with a family
member, romantic partner, or close friend, have been subjected to
grief. The loss of a loved one, either
to death or separation is an undisputed cause of the “broken heart.” People have been suffering a broken heart for
ages. In fact, the Bible well documents
the sorrow and pain associated with losing someone. The prophets even foretold the grief that
Jesus would know at the hand of His own people.
Isaiah 53:3 says, “He is despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with
grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces
from Him, He was despised and we did not esteem Him.”
In
the New Testament, Matthew 22 quotes Jesus telling that Peter will deny Him
three times. This caused great sorrow
and woe to the Savior. Heartache and
emotional pain is an emotion that is unavoidable when you truly love
someone. Death is inevitable and most
all of us have experienced that loss, some greater than others.
I
learned about death at an early age. My
parents and grandparents didn’t hide things from me or try and protect me from
this part of life. My mother always had
a fear of losing the people she loved and that sentiment was certainly passed
on to me. I can’t blame her for living
in this fear. At a young age she lost
her father and brother within three months of each other. It was a devastating time for her
family. Fortunately, my grandmother,
Bertie Mae had an incredible resolve about life and death. She had a wonderful appreciation for God’s
comfort. She taught me that God cares
about His children and will always take care of their pain. Psalm 34:18 tells us “The Lord is near to
those who have a broken heart…” He is
very aware of how much it hurts.
If
we find ourselves in one of these conditions where the stress of grief is not
subsiding, how do we seek help from the Father?
Prayer is the best answer for any situation we are facing in life. The comfort God gives exceeds any relief we
might find in another outlet. God’s
comfort surpasses even our own understanding.
We
give each other advice when someone dies.
It is natural to say something like, “time will heal your wounds,” and
“it will get easier in time.” Both of
these statements are true and God grants that time and He heals our mind, heart
and soul. The brain is as powerful an
organ as the heart. The two go hand in
hand when it comes to emotions. What we
think in our head can definitely make our chest hurt.
Over
the last ten years I have come to understand so much more about my struggle
with Bipolar Disorder and depression. It
has certainly been a lifelong battle, but several of my manic episodes were
triggered by the loss of a loved one.
The most devastated I have been is when Bertie Mae passed away in
2003. Even though we had a wonderful
relationship full of memories and well communicated love, losing her was more
than I could stand. Over the course of
several years I endured a lot of therapy, medication, and trial and error to
recover. It was finally God’s hand that
put me on the road to recovery. This is
how I know without a shadow of a doubt that God can mend a broken heart.
My
Heavenly Father worked through His children to save my life. He used experiences that my friends had
endured to put me on the path to recovery.
My good friend Jean Chappell had been battling depression for over ten
years when she recognized my signs and reached out. If it had not been for her, I would have
followed through with suicide plans and I would not have recognized there was a
real illness beneath the surface of my emotions. God positioned my circumstances to evolve in
just the right way so that I would accept help.
I
have heard so many people use the excuse that going to Church can’t get you to
Heaven. This may be true for some, but
for me it has been the exact edification that I needed to face each obstacle. Wayne Dunaway, my minister at the Ohatchee
Church of Christ, is one of the best spiritual leaders I have ever
encountered. He opened his heart and
mind right away to my plight and encouraged me to use the talents that God has
given me to improve not only my life, but the life of others. In the spring of 2007, I spoke for the first
time publicly about my diagnosis. I had
experienced symptoms from childhood, but was not diagnosed until my late
twenties. When I stood in front of the
congregation and told my story, I was taking as much as 1600mg of Lithium per
day to control my mood swings. In
addition to this drug, there were other antidepressants prescribed by various
doctors. As a result, I walked around
like a zombie.
I
do support medication as treatment for depression and related mental illness,
it is absolutely necessary for some, and trial and error is important. For me, it only masked the broken heart. It only covered up symptoms and created
additional side effects. I needed
something more long term and more impactful on my brain and my heart. God was the healer I needed. Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.” This is the
healing I needed and so desperately wanted.
Since
that first testimony over five years ago, I have developed a blog, worked with
a support group, toured other congregations across the southeast, and become a
published writer. God has done more than
just heal my heart. He is using me to be
the difference for others. My brothers
and sisters at the Ohatchee church of Christ continue to play a part in my
recovery. My treatment as prescribed by
the Father is constant edification and fellowship. It’s more than just helpful, it’s reassuring
and pleasurable. Friendships are
designed to bring joy and love into our lives.
Even though I have since lost my father and then my brother to a tragic
accident, I have learned to cope in a different way with this continual
blessing of comfort.
If
you are reading this entry and you don’t have this foundation of support in
your life, you are the person who needs to make that change. Perhaps you are reading this for a
reason. You may have to initiate the
change that occurs in your own life.
Allow God to work through others and mend your broken heart. Keep in mind that sometimes God does work
through the medical field. Treatment is
different for each person.
Having
lived so many years of uncertainty, suffocated by the depression, I had to
learn to rebuild my own confidence. I
had to realize that I deserve to be happy and fulfilled. It does take time to heal and like any
negative circumstance you find yourself looking back and reveling in the fact
that you endured. Hebrews 10: 35-36 says
it best, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great
reward. For you have need of endurance,
so that after you have done the Will of God, you may receive the promise.”
The
song, “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted,” lyrics by Jimmy Ruffin, tells the
story of “love departed.” Fortunately
the last verse of the song gives a little optimism with the line, “I’ll be
looking every day, I know I’ve got to find some way…” The best place to look is up. Look up to the Father for the comfort that
only He can provide.
Love
to all.
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