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As if I needed any more reason to ruminate. Our own stress and the world’s problems, January 20th (today) is Blue Monday. It’s the third Monday in January and is rumored to be the most depressing day of the year.
But is it?
Research has not proven that some days are more depressing than others, but in reality, it’s a PR stunt, unfortunately. It has become entrenched in modern culture. Every January, people share tips on how to protect themselves from the blues on blogs, and companies jump at the chance to promote their feel-good products and services. And social media is following suit.
Blue Monday started like this news release.
In 2005, the now-defunct British television channel Sky Travel, with the help of psychologists, sent out an exciting promotional announcement to journalists. We have calculated the most miserable day of the year.
The team is clearly complex expression Developed by a UK-based company Psychologist Cliff Arnall. We calculated people’s lowest scores, taking into account factors such as weather.
The formula was intended to analyze when people booked their vacations, assuming that people were most likely to buy a ticket to paradise when they were feeling down. When Arnall was asked to tell us the best days to book a holiday trip, he thought about why people want to go on vacation. And so the most depressing day of the year was born.
There’s typically more sadness in the winter, and it’s not at all unusual for people to experience an overall increase in sadness in January,” said Ravi, a practicing psychiatrist and former chief innovation officer at Columbia University Irving Medical Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Shah said. Center in New York City, 2020. “So rather than narrowing it down to a specific day, I think a more interesting question is, what does winter affect our mood?”
Some of the fuels causing the Blue Monday fires may also be phenomena based on: Research from Japan. In 2009, suicide rates among Japanese men on Mondays were significantly higher than on other days of the week, especially among men in the “working age” category. This suggests that the structure of the work week and economic hardship are to blame.
Arnall’s formula shows the following parts: [W+(D-d)]xTQ/MxNA. However, a closer look reveals that the variables involved are subjective and clearly unscientific. For example, W stands for weather. D is your debt, d is your monthly salary, T is the time since Christmas, and Q is the time since you gave up on your New Year’s resolutions.
None of the factors he included can be measured or compared in the same units. The expression cannot be properly evaluated or validated. For example, there’s no way to measure the average number of days people forget their New Year’s resolutions. Additionally, the weather in January varies by state, country, and continent. In short, there is teeth It has no scientific merit.
“I never expected it to be this popular,” Arnall told CNN. “I think a lot of people realize that themselves.”
Arnall also claims to be campaigning against his idea of Blue Monday as part of the “activist group” Stop Blue Monday. But at the end of the day, the group was also a marketing campaign. This time it was for a winter sightseeing trip to the Canary Islands.
Now, he tells CNN he wants to do it again.
“I don’t regret it at all,” he said, adding that he “used the media” several times to start a conversation about psychology.
“My problems with academic psychology and peer-reviewed publications are not that different to the average person,” added Mr Arnall, who was paid £1,200 to come up with Blue Monday.
However, that is not a common view among experts.
“This is not the right way to raise awareness,” he said Dr. Antonis Kousoulis, Director of Global Mental Health Action Network, 2020. “By saying this is the most depressing day of the year without any evidence, we are minimizing how serious depression is.”
“Mental health is the biggest health challenge of our generation,” he added. “It’s completely unacceptable to trivialize that.”
“Depression is not a one-day phenomenon,” Shah says. “Depression is a clinical syndrome and must last for at least two weeks, mostly throughout the day, over an extended period of time.”
Critics of the “Blue Monday” concept argue that clinical depression is due to external causes, such as the idea that the number of days since Christmas can have a negative impact on people. influenced by By suggesting that their symptoms can be solved with something as simple as booking a holiday to a sunny beach.
More clinically speaking, the real thing is winter blues It’s known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. This is a type of depression that people experience during the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight. The most difficult months for SAD patients in the United States tend to be January and February, but symptoms improve with the arrival of spring.
psychology today reports that SAD is estimated to affect 10 million Americans, and that an additional 10% to 20% may have mild symptoms. for 5% of adults are have a sad experienceabout 40% of the year, the symptoms can be overwhelming and interfere with daily life.
This condition is thought to be related to a biochemical imbalance in the brain caused by shorter daylight hours and lack of sunlight in winter. As the seasons change, people experience changes in their body clock, or circadian rhythm, which can become out of sync with their normal schedule.
Common symptoms of SAD include feeling tired no matter how much sleep you get, and weight gain associated with overeating and carbohydrate cravings. American Psychiatric Association.
Other signs include feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, thoughts of death or suicide, or even a suicide attempt.
Although the onset of SAD can occur at any age, it usually begins between the ages of 18 and 30 and is more common in women than men.
The easiest way to take action against SAD is to focus on light exposure, Shah said. “If you don’t have natural light, buy a light box,” he said.
Light therapy involves sitting in front of a light therapy box that emits a very bright light for at least 20 minutes per day. Most people see improvement with this method within 1 to 2 weeks of starting treatment.
Some people begin light therapy in early fall to prevent symptoms in anticipation of a return of symptoms in late fall.
Increasing your exposure to sunlight can also help improve symptoms. People who are susceptible to symptoms may want to spend more time outside or set up a living area in their home that faces a window during the day. Antidepressants and talk therapy are also effective in treating SAD.
Taking care of your overall health by exercising regularly, eating well, getting as much sleep as possible, and staying connected with family and friends can also help. You should also talk to your doctor, as SAD can be a manageable condition with proper diagnosis and treatment.
“Being physically, mentally and socially active and using a lightbox can have significant benefits,” says Shah.
Smart light bulbs slowly brighten and dim to help you sleep and wake up peacefully. Weighted blankets were beneficial for some people People who suffer from insomnia and anxiety.
The Blue Monday concept was a relatable idea at best and a travel marketing scheme that probably didn’t work. But why stop there? Arnall later devised a formula for determining the happiest day of the year with the help of an ice cream company. However, many people find solace in a feast on their least happy days.
Therefore, if you are feeling okay today, Blue Monday, do not expect the day’s impending doom. If you suffer from SAD, help is available.
CNN’s Allen Kim contributed to this report and updated this story for 2020.
