The survey did not prove that there is a day more depressing than all the others, but in fact it is a public relations feat that unfortunately cemented itself in modern culture. Every January now, blogs share tips on how people can save themselves from the darkness, companies take the chance to promote their products and services that provide a sense of well-being, and social media follow suit.
Blue Monday started with a news launch.
In 2005, the extinguished UK TV channel Sky Travel sent journalists a lively promotional ad that, with the help of a psychologist, had calculated the most miserable day of the year.
The purpose of the formula was to analyze when people booked a vacation, assuming that people would probably buy a ticket to paradise when they felt discouraged. Arnall was asked to propose the best day to book a vacation, so he thought about why people might want to take a vacation – and thus the darkest day of the year was born.
“There is usually more sadness in the winter and January is not uncommon for more general sadness among people,” said Dr. Ravi Shah, a psychiatrist at the Irving Medical Center at Columbia University in New York. “So instead of scheduling a specific day, I think the most interesting question is what does winter affect our mood.”
Blue Monday is not scientifically sound
Arnall’s formula looks perfect: [W+(D-d)]xTQ / MxNA. Upon closer inspection, however, the variables involved are subjective and clearly unscientific. W, for example, means climate. D is debt and d is the monthly salary, while T means time since Christmas and Q is the time since you gave up on your New Year’s resolution.
None of the factors he included can be measured or compared by the same units. The formula cannot be evaluated or verified properly. For example, there is no way to measure the average number of days since people failed to resolve New Year’s. January’s climate varies between different states, countries and continents. In short, there It’s no scientific merit for that.
“I had no idea I was going to gain the popularity it has,” Arnall told CNN. “I think a lot of people recognize that in themselves.”
Arnall also claimed to campaign against his own idea of Blue Monday as part of the “activist group” Stop Blue Monday. But this group, as it turned out, was also a marketing campaign – this time for winter tourism in the Canary Islands.
Now, he told CNN, he would do it again.
“I don’t regret it at all,” he said, adding that he “used the media” on several occasions with the intention of starting conversations about psychology.
“My problem with academic psychology and peer-reviewed publications … they really don’t make much difference to normal people,” added Arnall, who received £ 1,200 to create Blue Monday.
This is not a popular view in the profession, however.
“This is not the right way to raise awareness,” he said Dr. Antonis Kousoulis, director of the UK Mental Health Foundation’s efforts for England and Wales. “By saying that this single day is the most depressing day of the year, without any evidence, we are trivializing how serious depression can be.”
“Mental health is the biggest health challenge for our generation,” he added. “Trivializing this is completely unacceptable.”
“Depression is not a one-day phenomenon,” said Shah. “Depression is a clinical syndrome that should last at least two weeks, most of the day, on most days over time.”
However, the winter blues are real
Critics of the “blue Monday” concept maintain that attributing clinical depression to external causes – such as the idea that the number of days since Christmas can adversely affect people influenced by suggesting that your condition could be resolved with something as easy as booking a vacation on a sunny beach.
What is real is the winter blues, more clinically known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. It is a form of depression that people generally experience during the fall and winter months, when there is less sunlight. The most difficult months for people with SAD in the US tend to be January and February, but it improves with the arrival of spring.
The condition has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain caused by shorter hours of daylight and less sunlight in winter. As the seasons change, people experience a change in their internal biological clock, or circadian rhythm, which can make them out of sync with their regular schedule.
Other signs include feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, thoughts of death or suicide and even attempts at suicide.
The onset of SAD can occur at any age, but it usually starts between 18 and 30 years and is more common in women than in men.
How to fight seasonal affective disorder
The easiest way to start taking action against SAD is to focus on exposure to light, Shah said. “If you can’t get natural sunlight, buy a light box,” he said.
Light therapy involves sitting in front of a light therapy box that emits very strong light for a minimum of 20 minutes a day. Most people see improvements with this method within a week or two after starting treatment.
Anticipating the return of symptoms in late autumn, some people start light therapy in early autumn to prevent them.
Increasing exposure to sunlight can also help to improve symptoms. People prone to symptoms may want to spend more time outdoors or arrange an area to sit in their home that is exposed to a window during the day. Antidepressants and psychotherapy are also effective in treating SAD.
Taking care of your health holistically can also help: exercise regularly, eat well, get enough sleep when you can and keep in touch with family and friends. Talk to your doctor too, as SAD can be a manageable condition with the correct diagnosis and treatment.
“If you stay active physically, mentally and socially and use a light box, it will go a long way,” said Shah.
The Blue Monday concept was, at best, an identifiable idea and a travel marketing scheme that probably didn’t work. But why stop there? Later, Arnall devised a formula for determining the happiest day of the year, sponsored by an ice cream company, although many find solace in the treat when they are least happy.
So, if you are feeling good today on Blue Monday, do not predict that the day will have an imminent destruction. If you are struggling with SAD, know that help is available to you.
CNN’s Allen Kim contributed to this report.