Blue Monday? Well folks, it's just Monday!

To cheer you up: two experts on why it isn’t today Blue Monday, but it’s just a Monday.

“The whole idea of ​​a winter depression and that it happens in one day is nonsense.” Jean-Pierre van de Ven from Amsterdam, (relationship) psychologist and spokesperson for MIND Kor Relatie, is immediately convinced Blue Monday. It doesn’t exist. Subway also spoke Janne Schuijn from Zwolle, owner of coaching company Anders Kan and author of the book What if it can be done differently? The same goes for her: “It’s that you call me, otherwise I wouldn’t have even thought of it. It’s just Monday for me.”

Pseudoscience about Blue Monday

“The whole idea comes of course from the thumb of a psychologist who was hired by a marketing agency,” says Van de Ven, referring to the Brit Cliff Arnall who in 2005 devised a day for a travel agency to be able to sell many flying holidays to the sun. „There is no scientific evidence for the Blue Monday, let me put it this way.” Arnall talked about dark days, failed New Years resolutions and the vacation that is still miles away. Schuijn: “That entire scientific formula has been debunked. That you then make up that exactly Monday is the most unfortunate, that is pseudoscience. But imagine that this day did exist, then I say: there are more bad Mondays after your nice weekend. Bad days are part of life. That is healthy and in my view you don’t need to get tips to be able to deal with it. Maybe it’s Tuesday Black Tuesday.”

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Janne Schuin. / Louise Boonstoppel

Marketing country

Whether we ever from Blue Monday get rid of it, Van de Ven doesn’t think that. “It appeals to people. In this time we are really a bit gloomier and out of action. I don’t want to get rid of it either, because for me every year is a great opportunity to draw attention to real depression. That is really a condition that you have to recognize and deal with. The term is overused: you already hear people say they are depressed on a bad day when it rains hard. You can say that, but it is something completely different.” Schuijn: “As long as marketing land continues to jump in on this day, then no. I do notice a shift. People take marketingbull shit less. But Blue Monday also has a positive side: that attention is paid to mental health and how important it is to feel good about yourself.”

Talking about Blue Monday continuously

If only there’s always about Blue Monday is written, as also Subway now does it again, doesn’t that automatically make you gloomy? Van de Ven thinks not: “I think a journalist writes down what is happening in the world. Also about negative things and about Blue Monday. If that makes you gloomy, then you have a predisposition to it.” Schuijn: “I think that for a lot of people Monday is just Monday, just like me. Until you read about it. In my view, we enhance this day by continuously talking about it. That it doesn’t help you to have dark thoughts all the time. But then you are already talking about professional help that you need. Then an article from is not enough for you Subway or wherever.”

Jean Pierre van de Ven.

What would the two experts say? Subway-readers who still have the idea of ​​’yuck, what a bad day’ today? Van de Ven: „A, if you ever have a day like this, that is just part of it. And B, you can actively fight it. By moving, but also by sharing your feelings. Just say how you feel. Get out there! For example, participate in a Blue Monday Run from MIND. That will make you feel better.”

Up the pot

Schuijn: “If you’re fed up with your laptop all day, go outside, exercise or call a good friend. But I would say that it is part of life. We all have our ups and downs, they belong. Fortunately, there are also beautiful sides to life and I think we are too concerned with how to have as few bad days as possible. The bad days actually make you enjoy your good days more. Happy Monday!”

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