“Blue Monday” Isn’t Real, Mental Health Problems Are

Have you heard of “Blue Monday?” That day is apparently, today: the third Monday of January. It’s a claim that this day is the most depressing day of the year. But this claim isn’t real, and is important to debunk in order to have serious conversations about mental health.

The origins of “Blue Monday” aren’t grounded in any real science, but a travel company. It was used as a hook years ago to sell vacation packages by Sky Travel in 2005. While some may think it a creative marketing ploy, I find it disingenuous and harmful to conversations about mental health. Fostering conversations about mental health are important and should be be based on facts. Using pseudoscience under the guise of “starting a conversation” is not only unhelpful, it cheapens the seriousness that these discussions need to have.

Marketing companies and businesses who try to use the struggles of those with mental health issues in order to sell their goods, confuse and muddy the waters of those trying to find real solutions to their problems.

Sharing real facts, having open and honest conversations, and getting those that are struggling in touch with services who can really help are some of the ways you can help take back the narrative of mental health today, and every day.