In this episode of the Huberman Lab Podcast, Dr. Andrew Huberman interviews Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor about the neuroscience of attachment and loss, exploring why grief feels physically painful and the associated health risks. They discuss grief as a natural response to loss, differentiating between grief as an emotion and grieving as a process of learning to live with loss. The conversation covers the role of attachment neurobiology and dopamine in yearning, the challenges of integrating loss, and the importance of acknowledging both protest and despair in navigating grief. Dr. O'Connor emphasizes the need for social support, self-compassion, and understanding the physiological impact of grief, highlighting that while grief is a natural process, it can be medically risky and requires active integration rather than mere recovery.
