I wrote – Yasmine El Sawy:
Blue Monday is a day that falls in the third week of January, and is considered the most depressing day of the year, but why?
Most likely, the third Monday of January is associated with depression due to a combination of bad weather, the calm that follows New Year’s celebrations, unachievable year resolutions, and poor material and social conditions as the year begins, according to Live Science.
The fact of the link between depression and blue Monday
The term “Blue Monday” appeared for the first time in 2004, when psychologist Clive Arnall coined this name after contacting a British travel company (Sky Travel) to come up with a formula for determining the most depressing day of the year.
Hence, “Blue Monday” then became the focus of the company’s campaign to encourage bookings for travel during this period, under the pretext of alleviating some negative feelings and thoughts on this day.
In contrast, said Craig Jackson, a professor of mental health at Birmingham City University in England: “There is no reliable research evidence to prove that Blue Monday is more depressing than any other day.”
Jackson added: “The only thing that makes us feel sad and frustrated for no reason on this day is that the media is telling people that it is Blue Monday, and therefore expectations and negative effects that have no scientific truth may occur.”
Also read: Suffering from winter blues? – Eat these foods to beat it
Jackson noted that the winter months can play a role in triggering or elevating feelings of depression and anxiety, meaning that seasonal affective disorder (SAD), sometimes referred to as “winter depression”, is a phenomenon that affects 1-10% of people.
He stressed that seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression, whose symptoms range from mild to severe, and often occurs during the winter months.
Jackson criticized the idea of using a means to deceive people and motivate them to feel sad on a specific day to promote an campaign, explaining that the Blue Monday lie can be misleading to people who suffer from mental health problems and have suicidal thoughts, and may have serious effects.