prompted by the Guardian Bad Science page which is always a good read, but also by this press release which recently arrived in my inbox (I know it's long, but worth perservering with) which has prompted a great deal of discussion in the office this morning:
Bid to beat Blue Monday with Samaritans
Banish the winter blues and beat the year’s most depressing day - ‘Blue Monday’ on January 22nd 2007 – as part of a campaign to improve people’s morale and raise awareness and funds for Samaritans, the emotional health charity.
‘Blue Monday’, ‘the worst day of the year’, was first defined by Dr. Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University and marks the final full week of January when people experience a series of combined depressive effects. Working with public relations company Porter Novelli, he devised the mathematical equation:
[W + (D-d)] x TQ
M x NA
The model was broken down using 6 immediately identifiable factors: weather (W), debt (d), time since Christmas (T), time since failing our new year’s resolutions (Q), low motivational levels (M) and the feeling of a need to take action (Na).
The equation calculates that Monday 22nd January is officially the worst day of the year, when the Christmas glow has faded, New Year’s resolutions have been broken, cold Winter weather has set in and credit card bills will be landing on doormats across the land – whilst the January pay-check is still one week away.
January is a particularly busy time for Samaritans, when the organisation’s 17,000 volunteers begin to receive more calls and e-mails from people who need emotional support. In 2005 Samaritans received almost five million contacts, that’s one every six seconds. Boxing Day was the busiest day over the festive season with a particularly high total of 5,396 calls to the national UK number of 08457 90 90 90 and as many calls again to local Samaritans branches.
‘Beat Blue Monday’ encourages people to reach out for help before problems escalate and stave off seasonal depression by following eight key tips:
· Try something new
Be creative, or learn something new to get your brain active and start thinking of new things instead of dwelling on the old.
· Get physical
By changing your physical state, from a simple shoulder-shake at your desk to a full work-out at the gym, you can change the way you feel.
· Contact a friend or relative
Get in touch with someone you have not heard from in a while; thinking of someone else takes your mind off you.
· Take a break
Go somewhere different, whether it’s a coffee bar you have never been into, or a faraway luxury holiday; by changing your physical location, you change your perspective on the world.
· Be nice to a stranger
Do a random act of kindness; doing good for others is the best form of self-satisfaction.
· Pamper yourself
Enjoy either a small indulgence or a luxury you have been promising yourself.
· Plan something new
Whether it’s planning a holiday for later in the year or deciding what to do at the weekend, looking forward to something new or different can be uplifting and refreshing.
· Share your thoughts
A problem shared is a problem halved. If you feel you need to talk contact Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or jo@samaritans.org.
Kate Redway, PR Officer for Samaritans, said: “Sadly, one in five people in the UK experience depression and this time of year can be particularly difficult, with people in debt after Christmas and finding it hard to settle back into a work routine during dark days. ’Blue Monday’ is a chance for people to reach out for help rather than bottling things up. Samaritans is available round-the-clock for emotional support, however people are feeling.”
Andy Green of Green Communications, organisers of ‘Beat Blue Monday’, said: “Monday 22nd of January may calculated to be the year’s most depressing day but with a bit of optimism and creativity it needn’t be. Rather than dwelling on unpaid credit card bills and miserable winter weather we want to help people beat the blues. Anyone in need of cheering up can get involved in the activities taking place across the UK or come up with their own ideas”
The public can get involved in a range of activities that are taking place across the UK:
World’s biggest ‘beach’ party - Companies across the UK are being encouraged to bring some sunshine to Blue Monday by turning their office into a beach in an attempt to break the record for the world’s biggest beach party. Firms taking part are also urged to help raise funds for Samaritans.
De-stress with a cuppa - Samaritans volunteers will be on hand at London’s Victoria station during morning rush-hour, handing out packets of Yorkshire Tea and tips on how to de-stress for commuters.
· Cheese and ‘Whine’ beach party – why not organise a Cheese and ‘Whine’ party offering guests Blue Wensleydale cheese and blue cocktails? Invite Samaritans volunteers to give support and information about how you could help the organisation.
Positive Social Behaviour Orders – Yorkshire Housing Group will be handing out Positive Social Behaviour Orders (PoSBOs) rather than ASBOs to young people from across the region to reward them for their efforts in making local communities happier and friendlier.
Campaign to get New Order hit back in the charts – Green Communications will be launching a campaign to get the New Order hit, Blue Monday, back into the charts through download sales to raise awareness about the issues behind Blue Monday.
To find out how you can raise funds for Samaritans and support ‘Beat Blue Monday’ log on to www.beatbluemonday.org.uk.
Samaritans is available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. Samaritans can be contacted on 08457 90 90 90 or via e-mail on jo@samaritans.org.
Samaritans supporters This is Seb Clarke, a twelve piece, new wave punk soul band, are releasing their new single: ‘I Just Can’t Carry On’ on Blue Monday, which tackles serious issues affecting people today.
Lead singer Seb Clarke said: “The only upside to depression is that there is always somebody to turn to if you feel you need help. We made the choruses in ‘I Just Can’t Carry On’ immensely uplifting – to be almost like a modern day gospel or blues song – a platform for the listener to feel exultant in the face of despondency, rather than being defeated by it.”
'I Just Can't Carry On' available from www.recordstore.co.uk, www.hmv.co.uk and selected HMVs across the country. Log on to www.this-is-seb-clarke.co.uk for more information on the band.
The ‘Beat Blue Monday’ campaign is the brainchild of creativity consultancy creativity@work and GREEN communications with the aim of raising funds and awareness for Samaritans through a series of regional events. Creativity@work is a creativity consultancy which helps managers challenge their thinking to come up with new ideas and innovations to achieve more with less.
― New Mark H (New MarkH), Thursday, 18 January 2007 12:30 (nineteen years ago)