Take Two Tylenol...

...when your feelings get hurt.

Or so says a recent study from a psychologist at the Univ. of Kentucky.

From Eurekalert...

Headaches and heartaches. Broken bones and broken spirits. Hurting bodies and hurt feelings. We often use the same words to describe physical and mental pain.

A research team led by psychologist C. Nathan DeWall of the University of Kentucky has uncovered evidence indicating that acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) may blunt social pain. "The idea—that a drug designed to alleviate physical pain should reduce the pain of social rejection—seemed simple and straightforward based on what we know about neural overlap between social and physical pain systems." DeWall said.

According to a study due to be published in the journal Psychological Science, DeWall and colleagues were correct. Physical and social pain appear to overlap in the brain, relying on some of the same behavioral and neural mechanisms. Hurt feelings and social pain decreased over time in those taking acetaminophen, while no change was observed in subjects taking the placebo.