Blue Monday Depression peaks are not real, but are seasonal blues. Here’s what to do about them

In 2005, the now-defunct United Kingdom TV channel Sky Travel sent an enthusiastic promotional announcement to reporters that, with the help of a psychologist, it Calculated the saddest day of the year.

Analysis of this formula When people were booking holidays it was assumed that people would buy tickets to heaven when they were suffering. Arnell was asked to come up with the best day to book a holiday trip, so he thought about the reasons why people might want to take a vacation – and thus, the darkest day of the year was born.

A psychiatrist at Irving Medical Center at Columbia University in New York City, Dr. Ravi Shah said that winter is usually more sad and January is not uncommon for devotees to experience more grief. “So instead of dialing in on a specific day, I think the more interesting question is what is it about winter that affects our mood.”

Blue Monday is not scientifically sound

Arnell’s formula sees part: [W+(D-d)]xTQ / MxNA. On closer inspection, however, the variables involved are subjective and clearly unscientific. W, for example, stands for weather. D is the debt and D is the monthly salary, while T means Christmas and Q is the time when you left your New Year’s resolution.

None of the factors he contained can be measured, or compared by similar units. The formula cannot be adequately evaluated or verified. For example, there’s no way to measure the average number of days since people have slipped on their New Year’s resolution. And the January weather varies across states, countries, and continents. In short, there Is It has no scientific merit.

“I don’t know if he’ll get the popularity he can get,” Arnell told CNN. “I think a lot of people know it themselves.”

Arnold also claims to be campaigning against Blue Monday’s own idea as part of Blue Monday’s “activist group.” But that group, as it turned out, was also a marketing campaign – this time on the Canary Islands for winter tourism.

Now, he told CNN, he will do it again.

“I have no regrets,” he said. “He has used the media on several occasions with the intention of starting a conversation about psychology,” he said.

“My problem with academic psychology and peer-reviewed publications … they don’t really make much difference to regular people,” added Arnell, who was paid 1,200 to come up with Blue Monday.

Still, it’s not a popular scenario in business.

“This is not the right way to bring awareness,” he said Antonis Kusolis, director of the UK Mental Health Foundation’s efforts for England and Wales. “Without a single piece of evidence, saying this is the most frustrating day of the year in a single day, we underestimate how serious depression can be.”

He added that mental health is the biggest health challenge of our generation. “Making it trivial is completely unacceptable.”

“Depression is not a one-day event,” Shah said. “Depression is a clinical syndrome that should last at least two weeks, most of the day, most of the day.”

However, the winter blues are real

Critics of the concept of “Blue Monday” believe that clinical depression is caused by external factors – such as the number of days after Christmas that can affect people. Influenced by That – suggests that their situation can be solved with something as simple as booking a vacation on a sunny beach.

What is real is the winter blues, more medically Known as seasonal emotional disorder or SAD. It is a type of depression that is usually experienced during the fall and winter months when there is less sunshine. U.S. January and February are the hardest months for people with SAD in India, but they improve with the arrival of spring tuna.

This condition is associated with a biochemical imbalance in the brain, prompted by less time of day and less sunlight in winter. As the asons change, people experience a change in their biological internal clock or circadian rhythm, which can cause them to deviate from their regular schedule.

Other signs include feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, thoughts of death or suicide, and attempted suicide.

SAD can start at any age, but usually starts between the ages of 18 and 30 and is more common in women than in men.

How to deal with seasonal emotional disorders

The easiest way to initiate proceedings against SAD is through 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 provides very bright light for at least 20 minutes a day. Most people see an improvement in this method within a week or two of starting treatment.

In anticipation of the symptoms returning in late fall, some people start light therapy in early fall to prevent it.

Increased exposure to sunlight can also help improve symptoms. People who are prone to symptoms want to spend more time outside or arrange a seating area in your home that is open with a window during the day. Antidepressants and talk therapy are also effective in treating SAD.

Taking holistic care of your health can also help: exercise regularly, eat well, get enough sleep when you can, and stay connected with family and friends. Also talk to your doctor, as S.A.D. With proper diagnosis and treatment there can be a managed condition.

“If you keep yourself physically, mentally and socially active and use the light box, it will go a long way,” Shah said. Shah said.

The concept of Blue Monday was a related idea and a travel marketing scheme, which probably didn’t work. But why stop there? Arnell later devised a formula to determine the happiest day of the year, sponsored by an ice cream company, although many find relief in treatment when they are at least happy.

So, if you’re okay with Blue Monday today, don’t expect that day to be an impending doom. If you are struggling with SAD, know that help is available for you.