# People tend to think breakup pain is overblown

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/people-tend-to-think-breakup-pain-is-overblown/

> Indexed question in Culture.

## Reading

In a Verasight survey of 509 U.S. adults conducted May 11, 2026, most Americans (85%) think people overstate how bad a relationship was once it ends, including 12% who think they do so very much.

A plurality put it at maybe a little (41%) and about a third at quite a bit (32%), while just 5% think people do not exaggerate at all and 10% have no opinion.

## Topline

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

People tend to think breakup pain is overblown.

- Maybe a little: 40.9%
- Quite a bit: 31.5%
- Very much: 12.3%
- I have no opinion on this: 10.5%
- Not at all: 4.7%

## 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): 509
- Margin of error: +/- 4.6%
- 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=509 US adults age 18+, +/- 4.6%.

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