Blue Monday’s good news

Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.

So goes the old joke, but it can equally be applied to Blue Monday.

As we reveal today, Blue Monday is nothing more than a marketing department ruse to get you to part with your money.

The idea of there being a most depressing day of the year, calculated using a scientific formula, was thought up by holiday company marketing executives to encourage people to book holidays.

But just because it’s a made-up day, doesn’t mean there’s not a germ of truth or an issue to be tackled!

If you are feeling down, you can’t blame the calendar. The mental health charity Mind is particularly scathing of the Blue Monday claims.

They have branded it “dangerously misleading.”

They say: “Those of us who live with depression know that those feelings aren’t dictated by the date. Implying that they are perpetuates the myth that depression is just ‘feeling a bit down’, something that doesn’t need to be taken seriously.” It’s a valid point.

The Samaritans, another organisation that knows how serious depression can be, has gone as far as rebranding the day.

Instead of Blue Monday, they’re calling it Brew Monday and encouraging people to join them for a cuppa.

Brew Monday aims to raise cash to fund their important services and get people talking about the circumstances that can lead to people taking drastic measures. Though the day is made-up, it’s worth taking seriously.

If it gets people to think about mental health issues or to support groups like the Samaritans, then Blue Monday is not depressing, but a day giving everyone an opportunity to do good.