How to survive a long distance relationship

A long-distance relationship or LDR is typically an intimate relationship that takes place when the partners are separated by a considerable distance.


In 2005, according to The Center for the Study of Long Distance Relationships an estimated 2.9% of US marriages were considered long distance, with 1 in 10 marriages reported to have included a period at long distance within the first 3 years. This means that in 2005 approximately 3.5 million people in the US alone were involved in long-distance marriages.


It is harder to know precisely how many non-married couples are in a long distance relationship but according to The Center for the Study of Long Distance Relationships there was an estimated 4 to 4.5 million college couples in the US which were in non marital LDRs.


According to wikipedia, before the popularity of internet dating, long-distance relationships were not as common, as the primary forms of communication between the lovers usually involved either telephone conversations or corresponding via mail.


However, with the advent of the Internet, long distance relationships have exploded in popularity as they become less challenging to sustain with the use of modern technology. Technologies including cell phones, e-mail, online chatting and video conferencing have made it possible to keep in touch.