Why do friendship breakups sometimes hurt more than romantic ones?

The Dr. Leaf Show

Dr. Caroline Leaf

Mental Health, Health & Fitness

4.6 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 17 September 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We talk about breakups all the time—but rarely about the pain of losing a close friend. Yet, the grief can feel even heavier. Why? Because friendships are coded deep into your brain’s identity systems. In this episode, I’ll explain: ✅ How the brain stores friendship bonds in emotional memory ✅ Why the loss of a friend triggers identity confusion ✅ Why you still replay conversations and crave closure ✅ How to heal without the “final talk” and start feeling whole again This isn’t about pretending it didn’t matter. It’s about finding coherence inside your mind when the friendship story feels unfinished. 🎧 Watch now to understand why your grief is real—and how to move forward without losing yourself. 👉 SPECIAL OFFER: Using the code DRLEAF gets you $15 off + $20 credit for your next order at getwonderfeel.com. 📚 Order my new book Help in a Hurry: www.helpinahurrybook.com 📫 Join 250,000+ readers of my free newsletter with science-backed mental health strategies: Sign up here 🖥️ Watch the show on YouTube: @drcarolineleaf GET IN TOUCH: 🌍 Website 📸 Instagram: @drcarolineleaf 🐦 Twitter: @drcarolineleaf 💻 Facebook: Dr Caroline Leaf DISCLAIMER: This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a professional for personalized support. #FriendshipBreakup #GrievingFriendships #PlatonicLoss #InvisibleGrief #BrainHealth #EmotionalMemory #NeurocycleHealing #ClosureMyth #HealingWithoutContact #MindManagement #MentalSelfCare #HelpInAHurry #DrCarolineLeaf #UnseenLoss #Neuroplasticity #SocialMemory #EmotionalWellness #FriendshipGrief #MindBrainConnection #MentalHealthPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Join our Family Day Out and help build the new Children's Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
0:06.5	RBC Race for the Kids, a family festival and really fun, fun run, is back in London's Hyde Park on Saturday the 11th of October.
0:15.8	Walk, run, wheel or scoot, 2K or 5K, and enjoy a day of live music, games and more, all while supporting Great Ormond Street Hospital charity.
0:26.1	Kids go free. Visit race.gosh.org.
0:30.2	Hey, it's Theo, Luke and Joe from the Wafflin podcast, and our podcast is currently sponsored by Audible.
0:36.0	Want your next thriller fix? Check out the dropouts, the debut novel by screenwriter Liv Parkinson.
0:41.6	Kaylee Morris is just trying to survive her first year at uni.
0:44.0	A blur of social anxiety and parties.
0:46.1	But when she becomes the talk of the campus,
0:48.2	Kaylee retreats and shuts herself away.
0:50.0	That is until she is chosen for a new module,
0:52.9	to try a new psychedelic drug, believed to cure anxiety.
0:56.5	But soon, the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur.
1:00.4	And she feels the pool of a new dangerous obsession.
1:03.0	Listen on Audible now, subscription required.
1:05.8	See audible.com.com.
1:06.6	For terms.
1:07.9	If rainy days are for saving, can Sandy send you one to be for ice cream?
1:12.3	And how can we tighten how about when Dad eats so many biscuits?
1:16.6	Because children have questions about money.
1:18.8	Help them find the answers with a wealthify junior stocks and shares Issa.
1:22.6	Voted Best Junior Icer at the Personal Finance Awards six years running.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dr. Caroline Leaf, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Dr. Caroline Leaf and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.