The danger of the Blue Monday 'myth'

How are you feeling this morning? Let us guess…blue. But then again it is Blue Monday. Or so we’re told. We guess if you think about it, it sort of makes sense that you’re not going to be feeling totally tickety-boo in January. Christmas is but a distant memory, it’s frigging freezing and we are skint with a capital S.

But though we’re not exactly feeling on top of our game is it fair to saddle today as the most depressing day of 2017?

There is actually some sort of scientific formula behind the labelling of Blue Monday. {[W + (D-d)] x T^Q} ÷ [M x N_a], where W = weather, D = debt, d = monthly salary, M = low motivational levels, Na = the feeling of a need to take action.

Sounds legit right? But there’s just one little snag. The Blue Monday concept first appeared on a press release for Sky Travel’s PR company back in 2005, with the hope that it might help encourage people with the January blues to book more holidays. The formula was credited to Dr. Cliff Arnall, a former part-time tutor at Cardiff University who turns out actually was commissioned by the PR firm to give scientific clout to the concept. He has since admitted that the whole Blue Monday thing is actually completely meaningless. Oh!

But the idea of Blue Monday raises a more serious problem than just massaging scientific formulas to induce us into splurging on a holiday. Because according to one mental health charity the whole concept is dangerously misleading and could in fact contribute to trivialising depression and other mental health conditions.

“Blue Monday contributes to damaging misconceptions about depression and trivialises an illness that can be life threatening,” Mind’s Head of Information Stephen Buckley said in a release on the Mind website. “1 in 6 people will experience depression during their life. It can be extremely debilitating with common symptoms including inability to sleep, seeing no point in the future, feeling disconnected from other people and experiencing suicidal thoughts.”

The charity is keen to make the point that the symptoms those living with depression and anxiety are experiencing aren’t necessarily dictated by a date.“There is no credible evidence to suggest that one day in particular can increase the risk of people feeling depressed,” he continued. “There are of course certain things that may make people feel down at this time of year, such as post-Christmas financial strains, broken New Year’s resolutions, bad weather and short daylight hours. However, depression is not just a one day event.”

As an example the Mind website sites a women called Jessica Carmody, 35 from London who has experienced depression throughout her life.

“Blue Monday is absolute nonsense. It completely trivialises a serious illness that affects people, like me, every day,” she says.

“Depression affects people in many ways, from feelings of worthlessness and anger to lack of sleep. Depression is not, and never will be, something that happens on one day only.”

So instead of using people’s feelings to encouraging spending, Mind is asking people to use the hashtag #BlueAnyDay to raise awareness of the reality of living with a mental health condition and draw attention to the fact that depression affects people every day, not just today.

“We want to remind people that depression can happen at any time and that Mind is available to help people throughout the year,” Stephen Buckley continues. “If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one then it is important to seek support. Our website has lots of information on depression including tips for helping yourself and guidance for friends and family.”

Because as anyone who’s ever suffered from a mental health condition will understand depression is not feeling blue because Christmas is almost an entire year away, or its raining, or you’ve got to reign in the spending until pay day. Depression is a serious condition that requires equally serious treatment.

Mental health conditions are already hugely misunderstood let’s not let the whole Blue Monday ‘joke’ contribute further to the misconceptions.

For more help and advice on mental health visit Mind. Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #BlueAnyDay, or donate £3 to help Mind be there for people with depression throughout the year by texting BLUE to 70080.

What do you think about Blue Monday? Let us know @YahooStyleUK

Blue Monday is absolute nonsense, here’s why

What I learned from six months without alcohol