As we embark on a new year it’s commonly accepted to perceive January as the most depressing month of the year. And Monday 20th January or Blue Monday as you would have it, is penned as the most depressing day of the year.
And with the likes of Dry January being readily adopting my the general public, as a method of detoxing the continuous festivities of December, and many still reeling from the incessant spending during what is quite possibly the longest month of the year – it is not uncommon for most people to take a step back over the month of January.
But with one in four people suffering from mental health illnesses globally, is Blue Monday and January blues causing more harm than good, when it comes to building awareness for mental wellbeing? And should businesses look beyond Blue Monday, in order to create a workplace that nurtures mental wellbeing?
Start in December
Whilst December and the Christmas period is known as ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ for most people, for many suffering with mental health illnesses, it’s often one of the worst times of the year. YouGov’s latest report suggests that over two in five people within Britain have admitted to feeling stressed during the festive season, with a quarter of them saying Christmas makes their mental health worse.
Not to mention, there is a great deal of pressure for most people during the festive season, whether that is to deliver financially, or
Anxiety and loneliness are most prevalent among people who are aged from 25 to 34, at between 31% and 40%. People who are out of work also struggle more than other groups: 47% say they’ve felt stressed, 42% depressed and 39% anxious.
Over two in five Brits have felt stressed during the festive season, while about one in four has struggled with anxiety or depression.
December is a happy time for most. Even as the days get shorter and the Christmas music starts to grate, two in five say their mental health improves during the holidays.
But a quarter of the population finds Christmas more challenging than the rest of the year. In fact, they say it has a fairly (19%) or very (7%) negative impact on their mental health.
a baseless concept mental health foundation Mind strongly disagrees with. In fact, the charity argues that it does more harm than good, trivialising mental health issues in order to sell holidays, diets or alcoholic drinks.
Monday 20th of January, or more commonly known as Blue Monday, is penned at the most depressing day of the year. As we embark on a new year, leaving behind a month of incessant festivities, with the likes of ‘January Blues’ and ‘Dry January’ firmly established, it’s become accepted to perceive January as the most depressing month of the year. But what does this mean for many of the population who suffer from real mental health illnesses day-to-day?
Does more harm than good
a baseless concept mental health foundation Mind strongly disagrees with. In fact, the charity argues that it does more harm than good, trivialising mental health issues in order to sell holidays, diets or alcoholic drinks.
“There is no credible evidence behind the concept of a most depressing day of the year,” said Mind’s head of information, Stephen Buckley.
Monday 20th of January, is penned as the most depressing day of the year, or more commonly known as Blue Monday. Businesses across the nation will be taking steps to help boost morale over the month of January, which often known as the ‘bluest’ month of the year.
But with mental health charities such as MIND exclaiming that these very initiatives hinder society’s awareness of real mental health illnesses, how can companies ensure they’re providing a space to nurture the mental wellbeing of their employees, without falling on the bandwagon of Blue Monday?
Over two in five Brits have felt stressed during the festive season, while about one in four has struggled with anxiety or depression.
December is a happy time for most. Even as the days get shorter and the Christmas music starts to grate, two in five say their mental health improves during the holidays.
But a quarter of the population finds Christmas more challenging than the rest of the year. In fact, they say it has a fairly (19%) or very (7%) negative impact on their mental health.
