It's Blue Monday again. Except is isn't. Because the third Monday in January is NOT the 'most depressing day of the year'. Never has been. And I'm weary of saying that.
I find it wearisome too and have an annual rant about it. It demeans those experiencing depression ("Hey, go on holiday, you'll feel better") and is pure consumerism dressed up as self-care.
I first heard about Blue Monday after being diagnosed with postpartum and seasonal depression. As an American immigrant, living in Holland, it all made sense. I had a hard time managing the dark western eu winters and January was always my hardest month.
My psychiatrist recommended bright light therapy at a clinic 5 days per week, once in nov and once in January. Which made a huge impact and i did for a few years. I already traveled a lot during the winter and would use melatonin to regulate my sleeping habits.
That was a decade ago, and I no longer require light therapy and have learned to regulate with planning activities that make me appreciate the darker periods. With that said, this year has been exceptionally dark and gloomy in 🇳🇱 and events in my motherland have made this season more intense.
Thanks for the article! I'll link in my publication ❣️
Ugh, this makes me so very cross every year! Last week our department (which should know better) sent out an email advertising a 'Blue Monday Breakfast'. They only slightly redeemed themselves by using the phrase"so-called Blue Monday" in the blurb about it.
I got a message on my work Slack about "while the science behind this is debated—", technically true if you count Twitter, "—here are some nice things" *while I was reading this post*.
I find it wearisome too and have an annual rant about it. It demeans those experiencing depression ("Hey, go on holiday, you'll feel better") and is pure consumerism dressed up as self-care.
I first heard about Blue Monday after being diagnosed with postpartum and seasonal depression. As an American immigrant, living in Holland, it all made sense. I had a hard time managing the dark western eu winters and January was always my hardest month.
My psychiatrist recommended bright light therapy at a clinic 5 days per week, once in nov and once in January. Which made a huge impact and i did for a few years. I already traveled a lot during the winter and would use melatonin to regulate my sleeping habits.
That was a decade ago, and I no longer require light therapy and have learned to regulate with planning activities that make me appreciate the darker periods. With that said, this year has been exceptionally dark and gloomy in 🇳🇱 and events in my motherland have made this season more intense.
Thanks for the article! I'll link in my publication ❣️
Every time the Blue Monday stories come around it reminds me of your angst on the subject and I can't lie, it genuinely lifts my mood...
Ugh, this makes me so very cross every year! Last week our department (which should know better) sent out an email advertising a 'Blue Monday Breakfast'. They only slightly redeemed themselves by using the phrase"so-called Blue Monday" in the blurb about it.
I got a message on my work Slack about "while the science behind this is debated—", technically true if you count Twitter, "—here are some nice things" *while I was reading this post*.