Blue Monday (pseudoscience)
Blue Monday refers to a theory claiming that the third Monday of January is the most depressing day of the year. This idea was proposed by British psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2005, who created a formula that purportedly calculated this day based on factors such as weather, debt, and the aftermath of the holiday season. Initially embraced by the public, the theory has since been debunked by psychologists highlighting the absence of evidence supporting the concept, as well as the difficulty in accurately measuring the various factors involved. Despite its lack of scientific backing, Blue Monday resonates with many individuals who experience feelings of sadness during the winter months, influenced by seasonal changes and post-holiday blues. The notion was reportedly promoted as part of a marketing strategy by a travel network to encourage vacation bookings during a typically slow travel season. While it is associated with legitimate conditions like seasonal affective disorder, Blue Monday remains a controversial and largely discredited idea in the psychological community. Nonetheless, it continues to capture the attention of media and the public, sparking conversations about mental health and seasonal affective experiences.
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Blue Monday (pseudoscience)
Blue Monday is a debunked pseudoscientific theory suggesting that the third Monday of January is the most depressing day of the year. The Blue Monday theory was developed by British psychologist Cliff Arnall, who first went public with his supposed findings in 2005. Arnall created a complex formula to explain his hypothesis that appeared convincing to many at first glance, but quickly fell apart under greater scrutiny. In reality, he was paid to invent Blue Monday by a travel-centric television network as a way of boosting their winter sales. While Blue Monday is essentially a hoax, it has a real basis in legitimate psychological conditions such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Overview
The supposed Blue Monday theory says that the third Monday of January is the most depressing day of the year. While the theory itself has been debunked as pseudoscience, it has some basis in reality. For many, the months of January and February are a particularly depressing time of the year because of wintery weather, the end of holidays such as Christmas and Hanukkah, and failure to live up to lofty New Year’s resolutions. Still, no realistic way exists to accurately determine that one specific day is more depressing than any other.
Blue Monday was the creation of psychologist Cliff Arnall. The development of Blue Monday began when he was approached by a British television network called Sky Travel to participate in a unique public relations endeavor. Sky Travel asked Arnall to determine the best day of the year for people to book a summer vacation. Approaching that task from a psychological perspective, he hypothesized that the best time to book a vacation was the most depressing day of the year. To zero in on a specific day, Arnall developed a complex formula—W+(D-d)]xTQ/MxNA—that factored in such variables as weather, debt, monthly salary, time since the holidays, time since the failure of New Year’s resolutions, motivational levels, and the feeling of needing to take action. Using this formula, Arnall ultimately landed on the third Monday of January as the most depressing day of the year.
Initially, the Blue Monday theory was widely accepted and quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Eventually, however, other psychologists who closely examined the theory punched gaping holes in its validity. For example, they pointed out no way exists to accurately measure many of the variables in Arnall’s formula. This meant that the Blue Monday theory was without scientific merit or legitimacy. Arnall himself even ultimately recanted his claims. Still, Blue Monday continues to attract attention online and elsewhere.
Bibliography
Alexander, Ella. “There Is Zero Science Behind the Concept of Blue Monday.” Harper’s Bazaar, 20 Jan. 2020, www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/mind-body/a25949403/mind-doesnt-agree-with-blue-monday. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.
“Blue Monday: Why It’s a ‘Load of Rubbish.’” BBC News, 29 Jan. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-51173730. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.
Burke, Jolanta. “’Blue Monday’ Is a Hoax – But It Could Become the Most Depression Day of the Year If You Don’t Watch Out.” The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2018, theconversation.com/blue-monday-is-a-hoax-but-it-could-become-the-most-depressing-day-of-the-year-if-you-dont-watch-out-89988. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.
Cohut, Maria. “The Truth About ‘Blue Monday.’” Medical News Today, 21 Jan. 2019, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324236. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.
Melvin, Don. “Blue Monday: The ‘Most Depressing Day of the Year’ Is Debunked.” NBC News, 16 Jan. 2017, www.nbcnews.com/better/wellness/blue-monday-most-depressing-day-year-debunked-n707296. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.
Petter, Olivia. “Blue Monday: Is ‘The Most Depressing Day of the Year’ Just a PR Stunt?” The Independent, 20 Jan. 2020, www.independent.co.uk/life-style/blue-monday-real-truth-depressing-day-21-january-truth-facts-bills-work-christmas-a8736531.html. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.
Rogers, Kristen and Rob Picheta. “Today’s ‘Blue Monday’ Depression Peak Isn’t Real, But Seasonal Blue Are. Here’s What to Do About Them.” CNN, 20 Jan. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/01/20/health/blue-monday-debunked-wellness-scli-gbr-intl/index.html. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.
Sime, Carley. “Blue Monday Isn’t Real So Why Still Talk About It?” Forbes, 21 Jan. 2019, www.forbes.com/sites/carleysime/2019/01/21/blue-monday-isnt-real-so-why-still-talk-about-it/#41c669a57d5d. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.