“Social relationships, or the relative lack thereof, constitute a major risk factor for health—rivaling the effect of well-established health risk factors such as cigarette smoking, blood pressure, blood lipids, obesity and physical activity” - House, Landis, & Umberson (Science 1988)

This article by Lisa Suennen, at the Venture Valkyrie was written at the beginning of December as the holiday season was about to begin.

We really encourage you to read it; Suennen’s poignant article bares what many already know - that the “amplification that the holidays can have on loneliness.”

“We are entering the holiday season and you know what that means…excessive eating, overspending and loneliness. Not to be the Grinch and all that, but for many people the holidays are more something to fear and less something to welcome. Go ahead, ask whomever you are sitting next to right now if they are more excited about being with their family at the holidays or about getting their arm caught in a slamming elevator door; $5 says they will be all over the elevator option and might even pay extra for that privilege.

“It’s a bummer, of course, because these are supposed to be happy times, and it is exactly that ‘supposed to be’ part that gets us. The gap between expectations and reality can be all too stark when one’s circumstances are not as hoped.”

We hope you’ll continue reading this Venture Valkyrie article, click here.