Up until 2005, the phrase ‘Blue Monday’ only referred the 1983 New Order club anthem of the same name. Since then, however, you will see articles about this particular date in the calendar crop up every January. So, what is it? Blue Monday is the moniker given to the third Monday in January (this year the 21st), a day that is supposed to be the most depressing of the year.
 
Coined by a tutor at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, a Further Education centre attached to Cardiff University, it is said to have been calculated using a combination of factors including: weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action.
 
This information was released in a press release which was commissioned and distributed by Sky Travel, a holiday company. It gained traction in the press, clearly resonating with a public who were suffering from a combination of Christmas fatigue and SAD (seasonal affective disorder) – it then took on a life of its own. And it makes sense. January always seems to bear a bit of a pall as everyone recovers both financially and physically from the festive season. This year, meteorologists are predicting one of the coldest Januarys on record, which also doesn’t help.
 
In addition to this, there is a sense of austerity and martyred earnestness as people swear off alcohol or smoking or sometimes entire food groups for the New Year. The psychology of resolutions is a bit of a mixed bag; making the choice to break a bad habit or take up a good one is obviously a positive thing to do, but often we set ourselves such lofty goals that we end up feeling like failures when we inevitably falter. So, January gets a bad rap. But is Blue Monday actually a psychological reality?
 
In short, no. At best it is pseudo-science used by a corporation to sell holidays and, at worst, it’s something a little more insidious, preying on the insecurities we have about how happy we are supposed to be and that each new year must be the best one ever. However, if you are suffering from poor mental health at this time of year, there are several useful resources to help cope with negative feelings and impulses, which we have listed below.
 
Blue Monday is what you make it. If you want to wallow, you can  -  a bit of pessimism never hurt anyone - but, who knows? It could be the best day of your life.
 
Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org
 
Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.
 
PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
 
Depression Alliance is a charity for people with depression. It doesn’t have a helpline but offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information. http://www.depressionalliance.org/
 
Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts. Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying. http://studentsagainstdepression.org/
The Sanctuary (0300 003 7029) helps people who are struggling to cope - experiencing depression, anxiety, panic attacks or in crisis. You can call them between 8pm and 6am every night.