Christmas is usually a time filled with togetherness. But what about the almost 1 million Michiganders who will spend the holiday alone?

(WWJ) – For those who celebrate, Christmas is usually a time of togetherness, centered around being surrounded by friends and family.

But for many, they find themselves completely alone this time of year. In fact, an estimated 800,000 Michiganders will spend Christmas alone this year.

On a new Daily J podcast, WWJ's Zach Clark finds expert help for those struggling, learning that being alone is not the same as feeling loneliness.

"If you're alone, that doesn't have to be negative and it doesn't have to be avoided. But if you're feeling lonely; when you feel like your relationships feel superficial and you want them to be more meaningful, or you don't have a single romantic relationship that you want, that's when you want to find ways to reduce loneliness and help yourself," said Oakland University sociology professor Dr. Orbuch.

Conversely, not being alone doesn't automatically shield someone from feeling lonely. Dr. L.A. Barlow, a clinical psychologist with the Detroit Medical Center says sometimes it's "very unrealistic" for someone to always feel connected and have a wonderful family environment.

"Sometimes it's good to step back and reevaluate that and say 'what are my expectations during this holiday season,' in terms of family time and gatherings and things like that," Barlow said.

Clark hears tips from experts on how to reach out and show love and compassion during the holiday season.

"If you're one of the lucky ones, reach out and show support. You never know just how far it'll go," Clark concluded the podcast.

Are you subscribed to The Daily J? If not, do it now for FREE on the Audacy app or wherever you get your podcasts, and get more in-depth audio stories like this one delivered to your phone or tablet every Monday through Friday.