Prof Quentin Wittup has calculated that the most depressing day of 2010 with be the 18th of January. He has based his calculations on a formula originated by Dr Cliff Arnall, a former tutor at Cardiff University.
It would appear that the original research was part of an elaborate hoax contained in a press release for a travel company. In fact, Dr Cliff Arnall even went on to calculate the happiest day of the year with sponsorship from a British ice cream company.
The formula was even used by the Mental Health Foundation last year (2009) as part of their campaign to raise awareness of the issues surrounding depression.
But, all is not as it would appear. Examining the original research Prof Wittup said that:
“What started off as a bit of a joke seems to contain an element of truth. We started looking at social factors and found that with variables like debt. Many people are paid a week early in December and have run out of money by the third week in January.
“With the last day of January falling on a Sunday, many people feel a financial pressure by the start of the third week. Our research has show that this is the time when people feel most stressed. By the next week, many of the people we surveyed have told us that they then don’t feel too guilty about asking for a sub from friends or family or even running a ‘tab’ in their local with only a few days to go until payday.
“When other factors are taken in to consideration such as the weather over the Christmas period, the current economic climate with uncertainty over job security it would appear that there would now be some truth to the original research.”
Prof Quentin Wittup has calculated that ‘Blue Monday’ for 2010 will fall this year on January 18th. He went on to add:
“All in all, there is more than a grain of truth in Dr Arnall’s work, with all the stresses and strains of 2009 it would appear that Blue Monday really does exist.”
South Wales band, Sicknote are holding a ‘Phone in Sick’ party the day before ‘Blue Monday’. Doghouse (vocalist) said:
“Phone In Sick Day comes from a mathematical formula for the most depressing day of the year. It’s around the second to last Monday in January for various reasons. We decided three years ago to have a celebration before everyone phones in sick. The party is building year by year with hundreds of people rejoicing with us on this usually depressing time!”
For more information on Sicknote’s ‘Phone in Sick Day’ click Here
