I didn’t start the year with the energy and drive I had hoped for. I found it hard getting out of bed in the early morning darkness. Sunrises at eight in the morning are nothing new for me — I’ve lived in the UK for more than 15 years — but this year feels different.
Blue Monday — the most depressing day in the year
They call it Blue Monday, the third Monday of January is deemed the most depressing day of the year. But when I read about Blue Monday, I became even more depressed. As psychologist Dean Burnett wrote years ago in the Guardian, the concept of Blue Monday is based on pseudoscientific hocus-pocus promoted by the travel industry. This is what makes Blue Monday the most depressing day of the year for Burnett. I concur, nonsense masquerading as science is very depressing.
Using academic connections to peddle pseudoscience is even worse. This is what Dean wrote about Dr Cliff Arnall, who devised the ridiculous mathematical formula behind Blue Monday:
“Dr Arnall is usually described as a Cardiff University psychologist. To be a Cardiff University psychologist you usually have to be employed/publish research from Cardiff School of Psychology, hence I can claim to be one. Dr Arnall briefly taught some psychology-related evening classes at the university’s adult education centre. Apparently, this makes him a Cardiff University psychologist. Using that logic, I’m an Asda manager because I once made one of their staff fetch me a discount chicken.”
Still, this time of year is generally associated with blue feelings. I usually cope well and I don’t know why I’m feeling so flat this year. I can’t pinpoint any specific negative trigger. All is as good as can be in my personal and professional lives. Perhaps, it’s the overly busy 2022 with the post pandemic rescheduling that stretched my schedule beyond reasonable, the shock of returning from a sunny December break to the dark and damp weather, the flat atmosphere in the lab with quite a few people away or unwell, or deadlanuary — the piling up of January deadlines that greets you when you return from holidays — the topic I wrote about a couple of weeks ago.
After publishing the “deadlanuary” post, I realized that “deadlinuary” has a nicer ring to it. That also added to my gloom.
It’s not easy to talk about it
We talk a lot about student mental health, but are we having enough of a discussion about Research Group Leaders’ health? It can feel as if this is a taboo topic. The mental health of a Group Leader is just as important as the mental health of any other individual.
Group Leaders play a crucial role in the success of a team and organization, and their mental well-being can have a direct impact on the performance and productivity of the team. Leaders often have added stressors like decision-making and the responsibility of their team’s success which can take a toll on their mental health. This is perhaps cliché, but it can feel lonely at the top.
You could mull over the topic by watching the excellent Netflix docuseries “Break Point” about professional tennis. Elite sport is incredibly tough and can serve a reflecting mirror for academia as I wrote in the story about the broken back of the Brazilian footballer Neymar. Professional tennis is as brutal as it gets in sports. Unless you’re a one in a generation champ, ‘every week you’re a loser.’
In Episode 4 of the documentary, Paula Badosa, the Spanish tennis star, opens up about her struggles with mental health, a direct result from the combination of high expectation and punishing demands of the sport. Badosa explains that “it isn’t easy for sports people to admit to mental health struggles because they feel as though they are broadcasting a weakness to the world”. The same applies to academia. Group Leaders aren’t supposed to struggle with mental health. They have it all, the saying goes, so what’s there to complain about?
I’m not complaining. I’m posting this because I want readers to know that these feelings, these blue intervals, happen to all of us. I always viewed my passion and enthusiasm as my main strengths as a scientist. Also, I tend to cope well with the many demands of academic life through my Kamoun Shuffle approach to time management. This is why it’s disconcerting for me to feel down. And I can’t escape that feeling of guilt, that it’s all my fault, that I’m whining and that I should simply do better.
Am I whining?
Am I whining? Possibly. I’m sure others are suffering from more serious depression than this gloomy interval I’m going through.
I sought my new buddy ChatGPT for help. This is what it wrote back:
“It is understandable to feel down and blue at times, and it is not whining to express your feelings. It is important to remember that everyone’s experiences and struggles with mental health are unique and valid. It is also important to take steps to take care of yourself, such as talking to a therapist or counselor, engaging in self-care activities, and reaching out to supportive friends and family. If you feel like you may be suffering from depression or other mental health issues, it may be helpful to speak with a mental health professional to discuss your symptoms and develop a plan for managing them.”
Thanks bud! Great advice.
How to cope with the January blues and beyond
Writing this post does help. It helps me articulate that feeling gloomy is a normal part of life, and it helps me take a step back and re-evaluate. Perhaps, this post will be helpful to some of you. Just knowing that is enough to cheer me up.
If you are feeling gloomy or experiencing a lack of motivation, there are several strategies you can try to help improve your mood and regain focus. Here is a list that I found useful:
· Engaging in physical activity or exercise, which can release endorphins and improve overall mood.
· Practicing mindfulness and meditation, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
· Prioritizing self-care and taking time to relax and unwind, such as reading, listening to music, or spending time outdoors.
· Talking to a therapist or counselor, who can help to provide support and strategies for coping with feelings of gloominess. Most academic institutions offer this service on mental health and wellbeing. I also heard good things about the NHS mental health services.
· Connecting with friends, family, or colleagues, who can provide support and encouragement.
· Changing the work environment, taking a break from the lab or office and working somewhere else for a change.
· Reflecting on progress, accomplishments and the impact of the research on society and the field can also help to remind you of the importance and purpose of the work.
· Reflecting on the impact you have on others, the people you mentor and the colleagues you work with.
This post is available on a CC-BY license via Zenodo. Cite as: Kamoun, S. (2023). Blue Monday and beyond: Coping strategies for scientists. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7568256
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