The latest study by EliteSingles has revealed that regret is rife among singles who have dumped a partner; 39% of singles admitted they regretted ending a previous relationship.
Epidemic level of ‘regretful’ break ups
Men are the ones more prone to regret – 43% of male singles said they had regretted their actions, compared with 34% of women. The high levels of ‘regretful’ break-ups might have something to do with the short timeframe in which singles decide to end a relationship – 52% said they made the decision within a 1-3 month period.
Are singles willing to take back their partner after being dumped? Singles are divided – 54% would be willing to get back together, 46% would not.
The top 5 reasons for breaking up
Asked for the various reasons they had ended relationships in the past, singles indicated the following:
- Partner’s lack of love and attention (61%)
- Partner’s poor sexual performance (26%)
- Fell in love with someone else (26%)
- Partner’s lack of career (15%)
- Desire to try the single life (15%)
Breaking up is hard to do…
Seventy percent of singles said you should be completely honest to your partner about the reasons for ending a relationship, even if it means hurting their feelings. But it seems being honest is easier said than done; 56% of singles have lied about the reasons they broke up with a partner.
Relationship relics – majority of singles hold on to gifts from ex-partners!
What should you do with gifts given over the course of a relationship? 70% of singles said it’s appropriate to keep gifts despite the relationship ending, 23% said they should be given back and 7% said they should be destroyed or given away!
Break-up sex
1 in 3 singles have continued a sexual relationship after a break up, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a good idea – 39% said they regretted doing so.
‘Tis the season… for Christmas break-ups
1 in 5 singles said that they are more likely to consider dumping their partner over the Christmas/ New Year period. This correlates with Data Journalist David McCandless’ analysis of Facebook status updates suggesting that the highest number of break-ups occur in the period before Christmas.
EliteSingles Psychologist Salama Marine explains why breaking up around the festive season is far from uncommon, ‘Christmas is the time to reflect upon the past year – it’s time to look at your successes and failures, and determine what can be improved upon in the upcoming year. This is especially the case when you spend the festive period with your immediate family; you’re reminded of what values are important to you in your life. This could explain why so many people consider breaking up around Christmas time.’
*Sourced from anonymous data
About the author: The EliteSingles Press Team