Do you believe people (and some animals) can die from a broken heart?

[sage2021]

Since the recent death of Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie, died from a heart attack at age 54, they are saying she really died from a brokenheart. Her Dad, Elvis Presley died of a heart attack at age 42 (I think). Lisa Marie was only 9 years old. Then her son, Benjamin Keogh committed suicide two years ago due to depression. Lisa Marie blamed herself everyday for his death.
Recently she was at the Golden Globes and the actor that played Elvis in the movie Elvis won an award for best actor. That was two days before her death.
I believe she died of a broken heart. Her heart just couldn't take such sadness any longer. Do you believe it can happen?

[nitsuj86]

Physically no. I think it can hurt, and you might feel what seems like physical pain. But it will not kill you.

Elvis dies of a heart attack, not a broken heart. His daughter inherited his bad heart genes, and she also died of it. Maybe the depression helped, but it would still be an issue with the heart.

Suicide isn't "death by broken heart" it's death by whatever method you choose. You were the cause, not your broken heart.

[TheSpaceGnome]

Any form of extreme stress can kill an organism.

Stress induced heart attacks are the number 1 killer in the US. The body is not built to constantly be in fight or flight mode, and emotional stress triggers the same bodily response.

[Qdbrown]

Sudden depression onset caused by losing a close partner and or child is real. You can literally feel your body and soul just free falling to dark place that will kill you slowly, or make some pull the eject button and self terminate.

What makes it bad is you cannot escape it. You act happy, and conceal what is happening, but deep down you are in a very bad place that has got you.

You have to have a reason to live to eventually escape it. Like having other children and family to watch over. The feeling is so horrible that your body will just fall apart with enough time.

[exitseven]

Broken Heart Syndrome is a real thing. There are many elderly couples that die within days of each other. My grandparents are a prime example. My grandfather died 12 days after my grandmother. In the case of Lisa Marie Presley I suspect drugs had more to do with her death than a broken heart.

[sage2021]

@exitseven they did mention she had been in drug rehab four times.
That is so typical for celebrities and their kids to get all strung out on drugs. I watch that program "Autopsy" and almost every one of the celebrities died from drugs and alcohol. It must be a bitch to be a rich celebrity 😎

[UmbrusNightshade]

I do think it happens. If you look into it, a lot of elderly men whose wives pass away before they do don’t tend to live much longer after she passes. Typically within a year and half to two years max, they themselves die with it being that uncommon that it’s less than 6 months later.


You see the same with elderly woman, but not quite as often nor quite as quickly (generally speaking).


There’s cases here and there where younger men or women die within 2 years of a spouse’s death … at times having been very healthy at the time of death of their husband or wife.


So, yes, I truly think a broken heart can literally kill somebody.

[Lliam]

I think people and pets can lose the will to live when they lose a loved one. They just shut down.
But I would bet that Lisa Marie was killed by the clot shot. She was an enthusiastic advocate. None of the many the athletes who suddenly started dropping dead of heart attacks since 2020 died of depression or broken hearts.

[NamerOfStars]

Two of her grandparents also died young from heart attacks; I think genetics was just against her. Extreme emotional trauma CAN make a person not care about dying; in animals, it can even make them seek it out. It HAS been known to weaken the immune system, and I see no reason it couldn't lower resistance to other physical problems.

I mostly feel bad for Priscilla these days; who does she have left?

[Anonymous]

Not directly although it isn’t impossible to die of a heart attack if you already have a condition.

But it’s been proven for decades that depression contributed to physical ailments. Including higher blood pressure, a weakened immune system, poor sleeping habits, etc.

I remember I went through a bad breakup years ago. I knew it was likely but I was completely blindsided about HOW she did it. Long story short treated me like I was less than human.

I lost 13 lbs in one month. Couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t eat. Couldn’t think. Could barely function. I almost lost my job.

I also had a medical condition come up that afflicts. people with compromised immune systems. No I don’t have HIV but what happened to me wasn’t common.

So heartbreak can exacerbate existing problems.

[Jhunitor]

My grand father died of sadness after the death of one of his daughter (my aunt). At 80+ he could climb trees and do woodwork. But after her death, he started to have many health issues (failling kidneys, diabete, etc.) and started to loose his mind.

[Twalli]

I don't think that alone can kill you. My dog sometimes gets very sick when we're gone and we don't come back. She's fine the entire day, but if she has to board elsewhere during the night, she's liable to get very sick. Once my parents planned to spend about 2 weeks with my girlfriend and me, visiting her sister, up in Door County Wisconsin. We made it up there and were only able to spend a day because our dog got sick. She was fine before we left and immediately after we got home. A few weeks later my mom and dad went up alone while I stayed with our dog and she was completely fine.

[Adaeva]

What is a broken heart? If a heart was actually broken which being flexible never occurs, the person or animal would die in minutes. Therefore, rather than a broken heart, perhaps you mean a ruptured heart. And, certainly people and animals can die from a ruptured heart.

[lightbulb27]

She looked horrible emotionally. Yes.

I think dogs can, but as well, I've heard of them waiting for their lost/deceased owner for a decade.

[Horse-girl]

I do believe it can happen, especially if someone really close dies.

[LiamJHayden]

I believe some people give up and do succumb to that when their long time partners die. Happens fairly frequently among the elderly, where one spouse of 50 or more years goes and the other follows shortly thereafter, believing that there is nothing left to live for.

[SnowedIn]

People? Yes.

Domesticated house pets? Yes.

Other animals? I'm not sure.

[OfMiceandMen]

Sure, the stress of everything could have been too much for her heart. Stress kills!

[Kinkyhubby]

Yes, happen to an uncle of mine, after his son died in Vietnam, and couldn't have an open casket. My uncle died 4 months later.

[ReneeIsCool2]

My grandparents passed away within three month of each other. They had been married for 70 years. It was kind of romantic in a weird way; they were so used to each other that they couldn't live without the other. So yes I believe people can die of a broken heart.

[dustybiker]

It’s medically proven the heart can shrink due to severe grief.

[dustybiker]

And yes on animals too. Look up elephants and grief for one.

[FreyaRed]

Mental problems can affect physical health. There is a lot of possible psychosomatic symptoms which can cause a heart attack

[thatshydork]

I’ve heard that it can, but it was a while ago and it was online somewhere so I’m not entirely sure of how true that is.

[RingOfFire]

Yes, I have no doubt it can happen. With such an overwhelming loss in your life it can send you on a downward spiral where you don't take care of yourself and end up dead... fast suicide or slow suicide. Depression can do that.