University of Florida News

Acetaminophen video

EMOTIONAL PAINKILLER- online News & Multimedia PKG

Supers: Gainesville, FL
Gregory Webster/UF psychology researcher

THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN TYLENOL MAY DO MORE THAN NUMB YOUR HEADACHE. IT MAY ALSO TREAT TEMPORARY HEARTACHE.

NEW UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH SHOWS ACETAMINOPHEN CAN RELIEVE SOCIAL PAIN FROM HURT FEELINGS. RESEARCHERS FOUND PEOPLE WHO TOOK ACETAMINOPHEN DAILY FOR THREE WEEKS REPORTED LESS EMOTIONAL SUFFERING OVER TIME. THEY ALSO SHOWED LESS ACTIVITY IN REGIONS OF THE BRAIN THAT RESPOND TO SOCIAL REJECTION THAN THOSE WHO TOOK A PLACEBO.

Gregory Webster/UF psychology researcher: “We believe that this shows at least some evidence that the physical and social or emotional pain systems are inherently linked and that it might be possible to treat, maybe, some day to day kind of insult or social pain simply by taking an over-the-counter medication.”

MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL PAIN AS THE RESULT OF A DEEP EMOTIONAL WOUND. CAREFULLY TREATING THE PHYSICAL PAIN SYSTEM COULD HAVE A SIDE EFFECT.

Gregory Webster/UF psychology researcher: “If something’s hurting you, you want to know about it and get away from it or reduce the pain somehow. And it’s thought that for social creatures, this social pain system may be kind of piggybacked or evolved out of the physical pain system.”

EXPERTS SAY THIS CONFIRMS A DEEP LINK BETWEEN MIND AND BODY. AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA I’M QUINTEN EYMAN.

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