But can you deny that God went out of His way to warn us that hell is much, much more than just separation from Him for eternity? Guys like Christopher Hitchens - though he KNOWS the truth now - imagined that nothing could be worse than having to spend his time worshiping and singing praises to God for all eternity. Scripture most certainly says that there is torment and suffering for eternity and the torments ARE physical and not just spiritual. Though we can and do dread being eternally separated from God's presence, the hatred of God by atheists and the devil with his angels would make them prefer to never have to see Almighty God and such a hell would not be a deterrent at all. No, the example of the rich man and Lazarus shows us that there IS physical torment and suffering in hades and, ultimately, hell. It IS called the "second resurrection", after all.
Yup! Jesus spoke often about death and the eternal separation from God, but He was speaking to a Jewish audience who did not have a complete understanding and appreciation of heaven, hell and an afterlife. Much or Judaism remains this way today. He was trying to relate the consequences of sin and salvation in terms the average first century Jew could understand.
As for me, I cannot imagine anything being worse than an eternal separation from God, certainly not "far worse" and not even a little worse. I see those who fear and are motivated by the avoidance of eternal pain and suffering of valuing their personal well being too highly and failing to fulfill the basic definition of love; which is to will the good for another, completely and unselfishly for the other. Unless your love for Jesus is complete and unselfish, as His was for us, you are not truly loving Him as He commanded. Anything other than that is a disguised form of egotism.
Peace be with you.