Going through a romantic breakup causes genuine physical pain, triggering brain activity that looks “remarkably like someone going through cocaine withdrawal.” This is one of many surprising findings that Dr. Justin R. Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute, shares in his wide-ranging DLD26 conversation with Nayeema Raza, creator of the hit podcast “Smart Girl, Dumb Questions.”
As an evolutionary biologist, Garcia dismantles several modern relationship myths. He clarifies that while “social monogamy” has been part of our biology for over four million years, it is driven by a different evolutionary lever than sexual fidelity.
He also challenges the popular concept of the solitary leader in nature, explaining that “there isn’t an alpha wolf” because wolf packs are actually led by an “alpha couple.”
Watch the video to explore this fascinating session in detail.
