India, April 19 -- G oing through a breakup after a long-term relationship, and even initiating one, is painful. Taking to Instagram, counsellor Jeff Guenther (@therapyjeff) shared five science-backed reasons why it is feels so difficult: "Your partner becomes part of your self-concept. So leaving isn't is also like losing a chunk of you," he explained. Cycles of good and bad phases in relationships create a variable reward schedule. "Your nervous system keeps betting on the good version coming back," he said. Separation from a long-term attachment activates the same brain regions as physical pain. So when you think about leaving, your brain genuinely registers it as a threat." He noted, "Leaving means going cold turkey on a neurochemical such as oxytocin [which promotes bonding]. The withdrawal is frightening." Studies show that people often overestimate how bad they will feel in the long-term after a breakup. "The imagined future devastation feels completely real and stops them from leaving," he said....