While January may not be everyone’s favourite month, in recent years it has become synonymous with ‘Blue Monday,’ thanks to a marketing stunt from a travel company back in 2005. Despite the fact there is no scientific evidence to support the concept of Blue Monday, however (and that it was fabricated to sell holidays…), it has nevertheless lodged itself as a concept in our collective psyche.
Supposedly taking place on the third Monday of January, making it January 20 this year, Blue Monday is alleged to be the most depressing day of the year. The original reasoning given for this was that factors such as debt after Christmas, low motivation and bad weather all worked together to make this third Monday ‘the worst one’. Indeed, the company that coined the term claimed to have come up with a formula as to why this date was so depressing (the equation was later discovered to have been fabricated).
However, attaching the word ‘depression’ to a particular day and suggesting that it is something you can experience for 24 hours and then move on from, risks undermining what depression actually is. As a diagnosed condition, clinical depression is a serious mental illness and it is, of course, impossible for the entire nation to succumb to collective depression on a single day. It is more than a passing ‘low mood’ and can significantly impact upon people’s day-to-day lives in a variety of ways.
In the darker days of winter, some people may suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), where low mood can result from reduced sunlight. Again, this is different from depression and usually only lasts until the days begin to lighten once more – and it isn’t restricted to January or a single day.
Ultimately, while January can be a challenging month due to reduced finances after Christmas, bad weather, less sunlight and various other things, there is no proof to suggest that people actually feel significantly worse at this time of year. Different seasons and periods of our lives may cause more difficulty than others and, although these can coincide with January, it doesn’t mean that this month is any better or worse than the rest. It’s important to be aware of our mental health all-year round and, if you’re struggling, then there are things you can do to help this.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are a great place to start and are focused on connecting with people, getting active, taking notice of things around you, learning a new skill and giving. Talking to someone you trust – or to a professional – is also important, if you have poor mental health.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, then it’s important to speak with someone – and help is out there, should you need it. If you’re in crisis, then talk to your GP, as they can diagnose conditions and outline possible treatment options. You can also contact the organisations below at any time.
