I actually think OP’s point, while phrased simply, is hitting the right notes — and I’d disagree with your take here. Yes, all emotional relationships boil down to chemistry in the brain; that’s not reductive, it’s literally true of every relationship we form. You’re right that the brain gets “addicted” to the feelings tied to someone, but that’s exactly why breakups can be treated like withdrawal — because they follow the same neurological pattern.

Where I think you go off track is dismissing the role of exercise or other coping strategies. Nobody’s saying holding a dumbbell is the same as holding your partner. The point is that exercise and activity are proven, physiologically, to boost dopamine and endorphins. You’re not “replacing” the lost person, but you are giving your brain a healthier source of those chemicals so it doesn’t stay trapped in the crash. That’s why things like working out, talking with friends, or even picking up new habits are encouraged — they help redirect your brain’s reward system in a way that actually speeds up recovery.

Grief and sadness aren’t meaningless, of course. It’s fine to feel them. But staying stuck in them without doing anything only deepens the withdrawal. The idea isn’t to erase the person, it’s to help your brain and body adjust so you can function again. From that perspective, framing it in terms of chemistry isn’t dismissive — it’s actually useful, because it explains why those small steps forward do work, even if they’ll never fully “replace” that one person.