"Blue Monday" is January 20th -- it's known as "the most depressing day of the year".
Jessie Shepherd, a Mental Health Counselor, says while Blue Monday is not statistically founded, January can be a tough month.
She cites these statistics:
• 48% of New Years solutions are broken by the 3rd Sunday of January (This year: January 19th 2020). 80% by mid-February. (Michigan State University, 2018)
• 87% of Americans have spent at least $1,000 more during the holiday season than intended (Harvard, 2018). January is when the bills roll in.
• Rates of single people go up by 23% (DePaulo, 2019).
• Seasonal Affective disorder reporting increases by 60% in January (Blizczak, 2018).
She offered some things you can do to survive January:
- Recognize that it can be a difficult month.
- Set up & Keep positive mental health routines.
- Working out, eating well, positive social interactions, hobby skill development, meditation, mindfulness, good sleep, etc.
- Create social interactions & fun activities.
- Be kind to yourself as we progress into the new year.
You can learn more at: jessiethetherapist.com.
