January is ‘breakup month’ — here’s why, and how to avoid a New Year split
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January is notoriously the month when couples break up, with so-called ‘Divorce Day’ falling on the first Monday after New Year’s Day. One survey by Yahoo! found that between the December holidays and Valentine’s Day, people are more than twice as likely to consider breaking up than any other time of the year — and there are a few reasons for this.
![[Two women talking about their emotional stress during Christmas holidays]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2148441681.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
For one, it’s thought that the busy festive period is the last straw for many relationships, although people tend to wait until January to avoid a messy break up over the holidays. ‘December is a very high stress month,’ explains psychotherapist Dr Karen Phillip. ‘Money is often tight, anxiety is heightened and time is stretched.
![[Woman touching the wedding ring on her finger nervously while having coffee and waiting in cafe]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-1036092502.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Speaking to The Independent, professional dating coach Jacob Lucas adds: ‘Tensions start building up and building up, before they explode a little bit, like a pressure cooker. Then it goes to the point of: ‘I’ve had enough of this, it’s been too much.’”.
Additionally, it can be a case of taking stock of things in the clarity of the New Year. Michelle Smith, divorce financial analyst, told New York Daily News she typically sees an increase in marriage breakdowns around now, commenting: ‘Divorce can often be on the New Year’s resolution list. You think, “What do I want from my life this year? I don’t want to be unhappy anymore.”‘.
