Relationship breakup signs are rarely obvious, and the moment most people act on them is far later than they think. The average couple lives in distress for five to seven years before doing anything about it. By then, Dr. Laurie says, half of them are past the point of repair.

The Seven-Year Trap

Hope keeps couples in bad marriages longer than logic should allow. Ego keeps men in them longer than women. And the fear of being seen as a failure can outlast the relationship itself. Young couples, though, are quietly doing it differently.

What Running Out of Gas Actually Feels Like

When you picture your partner gone and the dominant feeling is relief, Dr. Laurie says that tells you something. So does the moment you stop wanting to fix it. There are also small, specific things that can shift the whole trajectory before you get there.

Topics: relationship breakup signs, when to leave a marriage, couples therapy, infidelity warning signs, relationship repair, five to seven years distress

GUEST: Dr. Laurie Betito | drlaurie.com

Originally aired on 2026-04-10