'Blue Monday', the third Monday in January, has become known as 'the most difficult day of the year'. While it's important to remember that there is little scientific evidence to prove this, we know that January can be a tough month for some of us, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed at this time of year.
Rather than dwell on the supposed gloom of 'Blue Monday', MHFA England's central team are supporting Samaritans' Brew Monday campaign. We will be taking some time to catch up over a hot drink and collecting donations to help support Samaritans' important work.
As you can see, we also decided to dress as brightly as possible to shake off those January blues!
Our #BrewMonday activities are underway! We're taking time out today, and during the week, to pause and ask colleagues how they are doing, & collecting donations to help support @samaritans' important work. https://t.co/gn5TsbZ9HF ☕️ pic.twitter.com/cVdxonbIyQ
— Mental Health First Aid England (@MHFAEngland) January 21, 2019
We'll be sharing plenty of content throughout the week in support of the campaign. Make sure to check out our social media pages and let us know if you're taking part in any Brew Monday activities.
Let's help spread the message that listening really can save a life.
"Today, the third Monday in January, is so called 'Blue Monday' – a claim initially made in 2005 by holiday company Sky Travel to be the most ‘depressing’ day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Fast forward fourteen years and the science behind the claim is certainly questionable and strongly challenged. However, like all catchy calendar awareness days, 'Blue Monday' continues to attract attention and it does offer us the opportunity to reflect on how we look after ourselves in these gloomy winter months.
Here @MHFAEngland we are marking the day by wearing bright clothing and a Brew Monday fundraising effort... "
"Matthew Holman, Mental Health First Aid instructor and Samaritan shares his mental health journey, why he became a Samaritan, and how we can help save lives by raising money and making time to talk this Brew Monday.
For almost 20 years I traveled overseas for business, met many amazing people, and experienced the wonders of different cultures. But then everything in my world changed. In early 2015 I turned 40, and decided to take a redundancy and look at what I wanted to do next in my life. It was at this point..."