A city-based mental health expert has warned that the concept of Blue Monday trivialises mental wellbeing – and may do more harm than good.
As consultant psychotherapist and co-founder of The Anchor Practice, Paul Bell, and the 13-strong team of clinicians form the largest private practice of its kind in Scotland, working with children, adolescents, young adults and families.
Paul said: “I find myself increasingly concerned about how this well-meaning but misguided concept of ‘Blue Monday’ impacts our understanding of mental health.
“While the day ostensibly aims to raise awareness about mental wellness, it actually risks trivialising the complex reality of depression and mental illness.”
“The notion that depression can be predicted by a specific date on the calendar not only promotes harmful pseudoscience but potentially undermines the gravity of mental health struggles known to be increasing in Scotland – particularly among our youth.”
The Anchor Practice team witness on a daily basis the profound challenges faced by individuals grappling with mental health issues.
He added: “Scotland currently faces unprecedented challenges in child and adolescent mental health, with waiting lists for specialist services at record levels.
“Against this backdrop, the commercialisation of mental health through concepts like Blue Monday is particularly tone-deaf.
“When major brands use this pseudo-event for marketing campaigns – whether selling holidays, gym memberships, or wellness products – they can inadvertently contribute to a superficial understanding of mental health.
“The fundamental issue with Blue Monday lies in its oversimplification of depression.”
The original concept for Blue Monday, originally created for a travel company’s PR campaign, claimed to use a mathematical formula considering factors like weather, debt levels, and time since Christmas.
Paul said: “This pseudo-scientific approach misrepresents both seasonal and clinical depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a clinically recognised condition that deserves proper understanding and treatment.
“The reality is that mental health support requires sustained, long-term commitment – both at a societal and individual level.
“This means securing long term funding for Scotland’s mental health services; improving access to professional support for children and adults and promoting genuine mental health education in schools and workplaces.”
The Anchor Practice is a multi-disciplinary clinic, offering a range of evidence-based treatments, but also specialises in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy – a well-researched treatment for a variety of common mental disorders in children and adults.
Contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy is firmly rooted in high quality research and informed by contemporary understandings of neuroscience and developmental psychology.
Delivered by highly trained and regulated clinicians, psychodynamic therapy can provide sustained results, promoting deep, lasting change beyond symptom management.
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