Blue Monday, the name given to the third Monday in January, is said to be the most depressing day of the year, but this is an unsubstantiated concept that is fundamental to mental health. heart I strongly disagree. In fact, the charity claims the term trivializes mental health issues to sell holidays, diets and alcoholic drinks, and does more harm than good.
To understand how baseless Blue Monday is, it's worth noting that the concept was first announced in a Sky Travel press release based on an equation by an instructor named Cliff Arnall. Cardiff University initially had a relationship with Arnall, but quickly distanced itself from the discovery and his former staff. Scientists have since called Blue Monday calculations based on factors such as weather, debt levels, time since Christmas and failed New Year's resolutions “nonsense” and a “travesty”.
Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind, said: “There is no reliable evidence to support the concept of the most depressing day of the year.” “The motivation behind the development of Blue Monday was not to promote wellbeing or address the stigma surrounding mental health, but to try to sell the holiday abroad.
“It's great that so many people are using Blue Monday as an opportunity to raise money and awareness for mental health, but the idea that there are certain days when you're most likely to feel depressed is, at best, unscientific. And at worst, it's unscientific.'' It trivializes a serious, debilitating, and potentially life-threatening condition. ”
One in six of us will experience depression at some point in our lives, with symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, feelings of hopelessness, feeling disconnected from others, and suicidal thoughts. Buckley says the idea that some days are more depressing than others is short-sighted and harmful.
“We all have mental health and we all get depressed sometimes,” he told us. “But to suggest that depression somehow 'hits' some days more than usual is misleading and trivializes the very serious problems that many people face in their daily lives.” is.”
Although Blue Monday is reductive and inaccurate in its message and science, it has been actively used by some as a way to raise awareness of mental health issues, and Mind believes this trend will continue. I hope that.
“The stigma around mental health is decreasing, thanks in part to movements such as: time to changeMr Buckley said: 'We run it in conjunction with Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, so many people use Blue Monday to talk to friends about their mental health or to raise money at work. It's no wonder they're using this as an opportunity to do good work.” If you are concerned about your mental health or the mental health of a loved one, it is important to seek support. If changes in her thoughts, feelings, or behaviors persist for more than two weeks or continue to recur, talk to your doctor. ”
For more information, support and advice about mental health issues, please visit: mind.org.uk.
