There’s not really any science behind it, but the third Monday of January is often referred to as Blue Monday – the most depressing day of the year.

The thinking is that the third Monday of January is a perfect-storm kind of moment. The emotional high of the festive season is behind us, we’ve already broken our New Year’s resolutions, our credit cards are maxed out, there’s nothing to look forward to until Easter, and – if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere – the weather is brutal and unrelentingly bleak.

Depressing, right?

Whether or not you buy into the concept of Blue Monday, it’s pretty much undeniable that this can be a tough time of year – particularly if you’re feeling a bit isolated or lonely, and particularly if you’re trying to avoid using chems and minimise the harms of drug-use.

“We’re all looking for intimacy, we’re all looking for some kind of connection…” explains Ignacio Labayen de Inza. “That’s not easy in big cities and the transactional nature of online dating can often leave us feeling more lonely and isolated than ever.”

Ignacio is the founder of Controlling Chemsex – a charity that provides free support to people who are struggling with their use of chems such as crystal meth.

Based on the information provided by guys seeking help from the charity, feelings of loneliness and isolation appear to be key triggers for using chems or relapsing after a period of abstinence.

“The chemsex scene can give us a false sense of community and connection…” explains Ignacio. “You’re with other guys, you’re having sex and sharing drugs. It feels like you’re not alone – you’re having sex like a porn-star and all your worries seem to disappear. But if you’re taking drugs such as crystal meth, your life will soon spiral out of control.”

“January can be a tough time of year…” adds Ignacio. “We often hear from people who have managed to successfully navigate through the festive period but then find themselves relapsing in January – you can’t afford to let your negative thoughts undermine all the good work that you’ve done to get your life back on track.”

How to avoid chems on Blue Monday

• Make a list of the reasons why today is not the day when you are going to use chems.
• Contact a friend or support-person and let them know that you’re struggling and need some motivation to help you avoid relapsing.
• Organise some plans that activate your healthy habits – it could be going to the gym, treating yourself to a massage, taking yourself to the movies, buying a new book, or cooking a complicated recipe. Your healthy habits can be anything that help you to focus your energy and attention into something that doesn’t revolve around drug-use.
• Set yourself a reward that you can enjoy once you’ve made it through Blue Monday without relapsing. It doesn’t have to be anything super-expensive or crazy, just something meaningful to you that acknowledges that you’ve successfully navigated a difficult time of year. Celebrate yourself – you are worth celebrating and you deserve to be celebrated.

Free and confidential chemsex support is available to help you take back control – contact Controlling Chemsex for one-to-one advice and guidance.

Written by Gareth Johnson