# People see their own breakup pain as more genuine

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/people-see-their-own-breakup-pain-as-more-genuine/

> Indexed question in Culture.

## Reading

Few Americans admit to much exaggeration in how they recall a bad relationship after a breakup. A plurality (37%) say they play it up maybe a little and nearly a third (31%) not at all, while 9% own up to quite a bit and just 2% to very much.

One-in-five (21%) have no opinion, according to a May 2026 Verasight survey of 491 U.S. adults.

## Topline

To what extent do you think you typically exaggerate how bad a relationship was after a breakup?

People see their own breakup pain as more genuine.

- Maybe a little: 36.5%
- Not at all: 30.9%
- I have no opinion on this: 21.0%
- Quite a bit: 9.3%
- Very much: 2.3%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2026-05-11 → 2026-05-11
- Base (unweighted): 491
- Margin of error: +/- 4.7%
- Module: society
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-5.29](https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-5.29)

## Citation

Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=491 US adults age 18+, +/- 4.7%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-5.29](https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-5.29)