January Is A Month Of ‘Quiet Coping’, Survey Finds

Ah, January. Not only does it seem to go on forever, but it’s also uniquely exhausting – it’s filled with post-holiday blues, grim weather, and, for some, symptoms of SAD.

And, new research from ODEON suggests, the “emotional weight” of the month doesn’t reach a single peak, as the debunked Blue Monday would suggest. Instead, the low mood many feel in the first few weeks of the year is felt pretty uniformly across January.

Conducted with mental health charity Mind, the results of the survey suggested that people want to be around one another this month without the pressure of too much chat; a move they call “quiet coping”.

In this research, respondents said that for them, January was linked to tiredness and exhaustion (32%), lack of motivation (31%) and feeling flat or emotionally low (30%).

Only 9% associate January primarily with sadness.

48% of UK adults say January makes them feel pressured to improve themselves or “start over,” even if they don’t really feel emotionally ready.

36%, meanwhile, said they want to socialise less often, but don’t fancy total isolation.

Instead, they said they crave low-pressure social plans (15%), simply recharging by themselves (38%), talking to a close friend or confidant (21%), and focusing on their routine (36%) to “quietly cope”.

Suzie Welch, Managing Director of ODEON UKI, said: “For many people, coping quietly, through familiarity, shared spaces and experiences that don’t demand conversation or explanation, is what helps them get through the start of the year.

“Our partnership with Mind continues to be about recognising those quieter moments and making space for people to feel welcome exactly as they are.”

Healthy relationships are linked to better longevity, a decreased dementia risk, and even more diverse gut bacteria.

But a little socialising seems to go a long way. Some research suggests that people who went from “seldom” seeing their loved ones to seeing them once a month saw some health improvements, while those who saw them every day had the same health challenges as those who never saw them at all.

All of which is to say there’s no need to force yourself into January burnout – “quiet coping” can be all about forging time for yourself and not placing too much pressure on social engagements if you need it to be.

• Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
• Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
• CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
• The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
• Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.