Summary

Guy Winch starts his TED Talk “How to fix a broken heart” with a story about one of his patients named Kathy. He explains how Kathy had planned to meet her husband by age 27 and quickly get married. Instead, Kathy found a lump in her breast when she was 27 and had to go through intensive treatment only to then find another lump when she was nearly recovered and have to do it all over again. After her recovery, she met a man and fell in love with him. Six months into their relationship, Kathy thought he would propose, but he broke up with her instead. Kathy still could not cope with the heartbreak months after the breakup, despite the strength and resilience she showed when overcoming cancer. 

Winch asks why the coping mechanisms that help people get through tough life challenges fail them when it comes to breakups. He explains that what he has learned from his practice is that the instincts that normally help people overcome most challenges will sabotage people when it comes to overcoming heartbreak. 

He says studies show that people need to clearly understan...