An article on CNN, reports on a UCLA study that shows that when people feel rejected or let out, this activates the same center in the brains as physical pain.

“The ACC is the same part of the brain that has been found to be associated with the unpleasantness of physical pain, the part of pain that really bothers us. There’s something about exclusion from others that is perceived as being as harmful to our survival as something that can physically hurt us, and our body automatically knows this.”

Interesting. This points to one reason why it’s so important for people to be a part of a group, to feel that we belong. Read the article here.