Sadly Blue Monday is not Depression

Blue Monday seems a good enough day to raise awareness of depression and mental health as any other day. Symbolically January’s Blue Monday is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. Let’s face it who wants to return back to work after the Christmas enjoyment of eating, drinking, watching the TV entertainment and playing with the children's toys and games.

It’s claimed that Blue Monday is the most depressing and low point of the year for people. Personally any Monday that I had to attend work was a low point in my life. Not because I was feeling depressed, it’s because the weekend was ending and I couldn't spend time with the wife and kids.

Facing another week of work is SAD for most people. Why single out poor Blue Monday? Why can’t Tuesday be just as crappy, or Saturday just as dull if you’re a weekend worker?

In January life can seem so cruel, what with the awful weather, the cold, the snow, the dark morning and nights.  On top of this Blue Monday is a return back to work after Christmas which may seem a come down for many - but that’s not depression.

Blue Monday was invented by companies and PR firms to be spun and used for their marketing campaigns to help sell and promote things after the Christmas period. A way to sucker people into thinking they should be feeling low and the solution to cheering yourself up is to buy something.

In the northern hemisphere the weather and light conditions is just routine nature nothing to do with the day of the week. Depression and low mood bipolar episodes don’t last 24 hours and fizzle out once you buy a holiday or blow some cash in the January sales.

For me it demeans the sufferers of depression and is used as an excuse to sell holidays and boost New Year Sales. Could it be we feel run down and guilt for the over indulging and over spending during the festive period? The buzz tells us to spend more, to treat ourselves as a quick fix to feeling better in the dark months.

We can all get addicted to spending. Money turns evil when it traps you. All addiction is bad when it takes over your mind. The reason we do it is because it offers hope for an escape. Problem debt builds up when we believe we are getting a bargain.

Buying with debt is never a cheap bargain. Bad debt is a nasty rut to be in. Like overeating, overspending is not healthy. It's like eating chips butties, deep fried Mars bars then wondering why your Weight Watchers programs not working.

Just because something on special offer or reduced doesn't mean we have to buy. When you want something do you need it? Can you afford it? Is your money going into things that don't bring you any satisfaction?

At least with substance abuse you get a high until it become far too expensive.

My point is you don't have to rely on drugs or buying pointless stuff to give you a boost. If that was the case I couldn't afford anything. I wasn't always responsible with my money. I have Jen to thank for sorting the money out. I would give it all away to live and party.

A day is what you make of it. So until the next Blue Monday keep smiling and keep your money in your pocket.