Au heart of winterwhen the days are shortest, let’s take a very gray skywith a thermometer that struggles to exceed the bar of 0 degrees. Let’s add our bruised economies by the end of the month. Let’s sprinkle it all with zest of melancholy of the memory of the end of year celebrations. In just a few minutes, you will obtain, without further effort, a beautiful drop in motivation general.
Welcome to the famous “Blue Monday”or “Blue Monday”. This recipe from most depressing day of the year is served every year by the media, on the third Monday of January. If the origin of this concept is purely commercial, it is an opportunity to recall a sad reality among students, who are on the front line facing the scourges of depression and anxiety.
| ???? “Blue Monday”, where does it come from? In the 2000s, the British channel Sky Travel, dedicated to travel, launched an advertising campaign to encourage people to travel in winter in order to clear their minds. The concept of “Blue Monday”, inspired by the English expression “to feel blue” (being depressed), is then theorized by Dr. Cliff Arnall, a so-called psychologist. A purely commercial message therefore, but which has visibly gone beyond advertising over the years. |
Against this phenomenon which perhaps concerns you or one of your friends, know that you are not alone. Diplomeo gives you 5 tips to fight against the blues and, more broadly, depression.
Dare to speak
Eco-anxiety, study-related anxiety, depression… Whether you’re experiencing a temporary slump or your discomfort has been present for a while, it’s absolutely necessary to talk about it. All psychologists agree on this point: the first step of healing passes through the liberation of speech.
“There is this idea that expressing your emotions is showing weakness. On the contrary, it requires a lot of courage”, Emilie Fos, psychologist
If you can’t bring up the subject of your mental health with your friends or family, many free devices exist to support you. For example, you can contact the free and anonymous number set up by the government for all students: 0 800 235 236. You can also go to the Santé PSY Jeunes website, which offers resources dedicated to mental health, or contact the Nightline association, which supports students in distress.
Among these structures, but also all the others that exist, you will find a friendly ear who to confide in, but also medical advicewho can redirect you to a psychologist. “There is this idea that expressing emotion is showing weakness. On the contrary, it requires a lot of courage”psychologist Emilie Fos explained to Diplomeo a few months ago. So, dare to take the first step!
Stay positive and take action
You might tell us that it’s easier said than done. However, if you are prey to anxiety or eco-anxiety, you need to try to put yourself in a positive dynamic. The goal: “put back in working order” so as not to let discomfort take over your life and affect your studies, according to Anne-Claire de Pracomtal, psychologist specializing in the mental health of young people.
-For this, the specialist suggests establish a daily routine. “This can be the regular practice of sport for example, or breathing tools, such as meditation, yoga, positive visualization… You have to adapt according to your profile!”, explains Anne-Claire de Pracomtal. “Implementing an action plan aims to escape from discomfort by identifying it. This is the starting point for learning to manage stress”.
Eat well and respect your sleeping hours
It’s science that says it: we can no longer count the number of studies that recommend eat well et good sleep in order toward off depression. In 2023, researchers have even proven that leading a balanced life reduces the risk of depression to less than 41%.
While more than one in two students have sleep problems and deprive themselves of meals due to lack of resources, the issue is particularly important for this population. Here again, several aids exist, deployed by associations or the State so that you can eat correctly and at an affordable price.
To move
“A healthy mind in a healthy body” : you can’t make it up and you’ve been told it since you were very young. This adage which encourages do sports goes hand in hand with a balanced diet and quality sleep. A reflex that you can easily implement during your studies, by walking 30 minutes a day For example ! You can also swap public transport for traveling by bike, or even do sport at a lower cost!
Once launched, it is a virtuous circle, as highlighted on the Health Insurance website. “Physical and sporting activity is a source of physical and emotional well-being. It promotes good sleep and improves quality of life and self-perception. When practiced in groups, physical activity strengthens social bonds”.
Be attentive to others
The first person to be able to sound the alert in the event of psychological distress is often a loved one, a friend or a family member, who comes into contact with the person on a daily basis. Do you realize that your friend, your sister, your brother or your neighbor in the lecture hall, who always has a hilarious retort, has been withdrawing for a while? Do you have the impression that he or she is in pain?
Don’t hesitate to him talk about it, by simply asking how he or she feels. Show that you are available et listening can help your interlocutor get out of a bad situation. Of course, you won’t be able to handle a person in distress alone. After reading this article, you now know who to contact and what advice to give!
