One non-contestable fact about rejection is that it can really sting. That’s why this bit of news comes as no surprise: rejection has physical side-effects.

This makes sense because most people report symptoms like physical pain and aches, fever and hormonal changes after experiencing job rejection, being stood up on a date, and even the loss of a friendship or a romantic relationship.

Experts claims that our brain processes rejection the same way it processes physical pain. That’s why we experience withdrawal-like symptoms that making moving forward after rejection extremely difficult.

There are, however, things you can do to speed up the process of getting over the rejection so that you can continue marching towards victory and see that light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

The road to recovery begins with understanding why rejection hurts the way it does. After all, knowledge is key.

1. Not being able to ‘think straight.’

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There is evidence that suggests not being able to ‘think straight’ is a real outcome of feeling rejected. According to research from Case Western Reserve University, exposure to rejection led meant an immediate drop in reasoning by 30% and in IQ by 25% in participants. It was also determined that feelings of rejection led participants to become more aggressive and exhibit less self-control.

So, don’t make any rash decisions while your brain is still trying to process the rejection. Take it easy. Watch a senseless movie or have a conversation with a friend about anything other than the breakup to take your mind off things.

2. Your body will hurt.

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Once your brain has processed the feeling of being rejected, it releases cortisol along with adrenaline into the body. Too much cortisol is known to cause muscle swelling as muscles are preparing to react to a stressful situation. Muscle swelling is what causes soreness and aches, and it’s something one might experience after a breakup. What can you do to feel better? Go for a run, a walk or take an intense workout class.

3. Loss of appetite.

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As your muscles prepare to battle the stressful situation, blood doesn’t get redirected to the digestive system. This can result in the classic symptoms such as an inability to eat, forgetting to eat altogether or just plain ol’ nausea. Instead of forcing food into your body, go for a walk. At least you will get your appetite back if not your partner.

4. Your brain is literally in pain.

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Rejection is tough on your brain and body in equal measures. Similar regions of the brain get activated when you face rejection and when the body is in physical pain. This means that when you feel rejected, your brain is literally feeling the sting too.

5. You experience mental fatigue.

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It’s not uncommon to not be your best, most charming and fun self when you face rejection. This can manifest into a condition known as Brain Fog, a type of cognitive dysfunction that involves irritability, lack of memory retrieval and inability to focus or concentrate. This may sound vain, but if you feel this way then you need to force yourself to go out and try and have fun. The intent is to keep your mood light and begin the process of moving past this temporary rejection.

6. ‘Happy’ hormones take the back seat.

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A rejection means your brain isn’t producing happy hormones like it usually loves to. Our brain is now soaking in cortisol and epinephrine which are flight-or-fight producing chemicals caused by stress. No wonder, the sky doesn’t feel brighter, the food doesn’t taste better and one certainly don’t feel stronger.

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7. Rejection can heighten depression and anxiety.

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Quite naturally rejection gives rise to emotions like sadness and self-doubt. Rejection can impact your sense of self-worth and get you to constantly think about what went wrong and how you could have salvaged the situation. This keeps the door wide open for depression and anxiety.

While rejection is difficult and requires resilience, sometimes symptoms of depression and anxiety persist and the best thing to di at this time is to talk to people you look up to or love. This creates a healthy space for you to silently recover in.

There’s no denying that rejection is a difficult feeling or emotion to overcome but understanding what changes your body goes through can give you better insight in to how to bounce back. Remember, rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success.