For many, this doesn’t show up as dramatic sadness. Instead, it appears quietly. Low mood. Increased anxiety. A sense of heaviness. Feeling disconnected or emotionally flat. A loss of motivation or enjoyment. These experiences don’t mean something is “wrong” with you. They are understandable responses to cumulative stress.

Why This Time of Year Can Feel So Difficult especially if you are already coping with other issues?

Psychologically, humans rely on structure, light, social connection, and a sense of progress. In January, many of these supports are reduced. Shorter daylight hours can affect sleep, energy levels, and mood regulation. Financial strain after Christmas can increase worry and feelings of guilt or failure. Social calendars empty, routines become rigid again, and expectations to “start fresh” can feel overwhelming rather than motivating.

For those already managing anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or long-term stress, these factors can intensify symptoms. Even people who generally cope well may find themselves feeling unusually low or irritable.

Common Triggers We See Around Blue Monday?

In clinical practice, some common themes emerge at this time of year:

• Pressure to feel positive or “motivated”
• Comparing yourself to others who seem to be coping better
• Fear that these feelings will not pass
• Feeling stuck or behind in life
• Loneliness or emotional isolation
• Exhaustion from holding everything together

One of the most distressing parts is often the fear, “Why do I feel like this?” or “What if this never changes?”

When to Pay Attention to How You’re Feeling?

Feeling low from time to time is part of being human. However, it may be helpful to seek support if you notice:

• Persistent low mood or anxiety lasting weeks
• Difficulty sleeping or constant fatigue or even sleeping way more than you normally would
• Loss of interest in things you usually enjoy
• Feeling overwhelmed by small tasks
• Withdrawal from others
• A sense of hopelessness or numbness

Reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of self-awareness, motivation and self-respect.

How Psychological Support Can Help?

Therapy is not about being “fixed” or told what to do. It is a space to slow things down, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and feel understood without judgement while building skills to make positive changes.

From a psychological perspective, support can help you:

• Understand your emotional responses
•  Identify patterns that may be keeping you stuck
• Develop healthier ways of coping with stress and uncertainty
• Process difficult experiences or losses
• Build emotional resilience and self-compassion

Sometimes people wait until they feel “bad enough” to ask for help. In reality, earlier support often prevents things from becoming more overwhelming including the fact that at your lowest ebb you have less energy to help in the fight to improvement.

A Gentle Reminder

If Blue Monday has brought up difficult feelings for you, you are not alone, and you do not have to navigate this on your own.

Mental health struggles do not define you. They are experiences, not identities. With the right support, understanding, and care, things can feel lighter again.

At Physiofusion, our mental health services are here to support you in a calm, confidential, and compassionate way. Whether you are dealing with something specific or simply don’t feel like yourself, help is available.

Sometimes the most important step is simply starting the conversation.

If this blog resonates with you, reaching out could be the beginning of something better.

If you’d like more information on or services, you can jump to our page here.

Physical pain takes a toll psychologically; adapting to changes in mobility, coming to terms with and processing the event that caused injury, all adds to our psychological load. It is understandable that many individuals who experience injury therefore find themselves feeling overwhelmed, and unsure how to cope.

Not only this, but our fundamental needs can be impacted by injury, whether our appetite changing, sleeping patterns changing, ability to engage in hobbies, interests and physical activity. These may change either directly such as a result of changes to mobility, or indirectly such as a result of prescribed medication. Regardless, all of these changes can make daily stressors much more difficult to manage, and can often be overlooked. It is important therefore that the psychological impact of injury isn’t overlooked or underestimated.

Post injury it is common to experience depression, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. Self-medicating may occur, such as through alcohol or other substances. You may experience periods of shock, disbelief, denial, fear, and anger to name but a few. Feelings of frustration and helplessness may also arise, as you crave your former normal.

Injury can also bring with it uncertainty – whether around potential for recovery, timescales, or financial uncertainty such as due to implications of being off work.  Uncertainty in itself can increase stress, anxiety and overwhelm, all of which can drain the body of energy it needs to heal.

It is essential to be aware that these psychological reactions are normal, and expected. However, if these feelings are becoming intense, prolonged or impacting your wellbeing and recovery, then it may be worth considering getting professional support. You deserve the same support for your mental health as you do for your physical health.

Addressing the Ongoing Psychological Impacts of Injury

Psychologically, adjusting to your new or current normal can be a difficult process. As a result, mental health difficulties often co-exist alongside physical health challenges resulting from injury, which can further impact quality of life.

Acknowledging the impact that injury is having on your mental health can be a difficult step, but an important one. Honesty with those around you in itself can help to reduce some of the anxiety associated with injury, and encourage belief in yourself and your abilities to overcome challenges with your mental health.

Talking therapy such as counselling or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, can help individuals who have experienced injury to find ways to cope with any overwhelming or negative thoughts or feelings. It can improve not only resilience, but optimism, which can significantly positively impact health outcomes.

The benefits of social support, such as from friends, family and others who can relate to your experience (such as through support groups), cannot be underestimated either. Social support can help to improve problem solving, help you to manage your feelings, talk through your fears and reduce feelings of isolation. A sense of belonging can be very powerful during times of adversity.

Mindfulness can also be a powerful took to rely upon following injury. Mindfulness helps to anchor us to the present, pulling us away from fears for the future or dwelling on the past. With regular practice mindfulness helps us to gain distance from our thoughts and feelings, and allows us to observe them as they change and pass. The same too can be said for physical pain and discomfort. This can be highly powerful for inspiring hope that if feelings, thoughts and sensations are constantly changing, then we are not stuck, and things can pass and make way for more pleasant experiences.

Psychological Recovery – Tending to your Mental Health Throughout Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation can be a difficult process that takes time, energy and commitment. Recovery is rarely a linear journey either, and it may require patience through periods of setbacks and frustrations. The psychological impact of navigating this process can be just as exhausting and demanding as the physical requirements. That is why it is so important to pay attention to your mental health throughout this process.

Gratitude can be a powerful tool for managing distress that can arise during rehabilitation. Gratitude for the little things, such as a smile from a stranger, the support of your physical therapist, or for a friend driving you, can all help you to reconnect to the good in the world. Gratitude for your body and all that it is doing to try to help you to recover, can also help to improve your relationship with your body.

Treating yourself with the same compassion you would offer to a loved one can also be invaluable. Adapting to life post-injury can be difficult enough without being put down constantly by the one person you spend the most time with – yourself! Practice talking to yourself with kindness, as though you are someone who matters (because you are!).

Creating routines and sticking to them can create a sense of predictability and certainty, which you may be lacking post-injury. Setting small, achievable goals can also help you to focus on the little wins and improve your sense of control over your recovery.

Your brain is as much a part of your body as your lungs or limbs, and it deserves as much care and attention during the rehabilitation as possible. Whilst these steps may not create immediate relief, a daily effort to support your wellbeing will have a positive cumulative effect, and is well worth doing!

If you are struggling at all with an injury, or your mental health, please reach out to us for FREE using our Ask An Expert tool, here.

First and foremost, feeling any of these things this is completely understandable and absolutely acceptable. I think we would all be lying if we said we didn’t feel at least one of those symptoms. It is important to remember that the current situation is only temporary and that things will get better.

The advice we give will hopefully go some way in helping keep on top of our mental wellbeing right now as well as coping with how we may feel while staying at home for the foreseeable.

Everyone is different and has their own way of coping. If we ever need further support than just advice, it is always encouraged that we reach out to someone that we trust can help.

Ways to help manage our mental wellbeing

1. Staying connected with friends, family and colleagues

Often, just knowing other people are feeling the same as we are and that they’re in the same boat can help immensely. Part of the battle sometimes is feeling like we’re the only person that feels a certain way and that nobody else will understand what we’re going through. If we’re not comfortable talking about how we feel, a good thing to do is ask others how they feel. See if they are going through similar experiences as ourselves. This will help you to see that we’re not alone in what we’re going through. Staying connected is also a good way to take our mind off whatever is troubling us. Our friends and family know us better than most, and it’s often comforting being able to laugh and joke about an old memory or even future plans!

2. Make plans to do the practical things

It is amazing how resilient businesses can be during times of hardship. If we’ve been accessing physical or mental treatment before COVID19, it is likely that we can still continue this is some capacity that enables us some normality. We may perhaps have a favourite place to dine or order takeaway from. Many businesses are now adapting their services to online so that we are still able to enjoy some of things we did before. If we’re unsure whether a business or not is still open, then just ask the question! Businesses need to hear from us as much as we need to hear from them right now. Take advantage of being able to go outdoors and exercise with a family member or friend (following the government guidelines). Exercise is one of the most powerful tools in helping cope with mental health stresses.

3. Look after our physical health

We mentioned above that physical and mental health go hand in hand. This is very true! Our mental health can usually be a lot more niche and trickier to find an immediate solution, whereas our physical health often isn’t as difficult. It’s common knowledge that exercising more and eating healthier is beneficial to our bodies. Finding this information is relatively easy and straight forward too. However, if we have a more complex diet with certain underlying issues and complications, there is still help available via a nutritional therapist. Maintaining a healthy, physical appearance, albeit for perhaps slightly vein reasons, can hugely impact our mental wellbeing and positive thoughts. And there is nothing wrong with that! We all deserve to feel and look beautiful.

4. Don’t get caught up on the news!

As vital as it is to stay in the ‘loop’ right now, it’s just as important that we don’t get hung up on every detail. The news is mostly full of ‘bad’ news as that’s what captures people attention, unfortunately. There is so much positivity in the world that isn’t as documented, so it’s just not worth gluing ourselves to the news only to make ourselves feel worse than we need to. If we do want to read the news, it’s worth trying to search more positive things. There are so many businesses, people and charities out there every day that are doing great things to help tackle the current pandemic to make the world a better place.

5. Try relaxation and meditation

This is something that we would imagine most of us are guilty of not doing enough! It’s always “we just haven’t got time” or that “we’re too stressed to meditate”. Switching off to close our eyes and relax for as little as 10 minutes can be extremely helpful. We don’t need hours each day in order to relax and feel better. Sometimes it’s just about pausing for a few moments to take on board the day and think of everything we have to be grateful for. Meditation is a great way of helping to channel these thoughts. There is ample free meditation content to choose from on the internet. Some like to listen to the soothing sounds of nature, and others find peace in listening to a calming voice for example. Choose what works for you but make sure you’re try to switch off from the world, if only for a few minutes.

6. Stay in the loop about our employment and benefits

One of the main reasons why many of us are worried and anxious at the moment is because of financial security and job security. The last thing we need is to be told not to worry by people that don’t even know anything themselves. Speaking to our employers directly to ask them every possible question is the best place to start. It’s our right to know and they should be honest and upfront. They may even be able to provide access to services that can help how we feel. If we don’t ask, we will never know. Discussing our options with trusted professionals in the know, such as HR, soliciting and banking departments can also help. If we aren’t working, understanding the details about what the current pandemic means for us is extremely important – always check the government website for all the latest updates.

If you feel you need a little more than online advice, we have comprehensive listening services available as well as counselling services. Alternatively, you may ask our expert therapists for advice that may be a little more personal to you using our FREE online service, here.

Anxiety should not be ignored.  Anyone is capable of feeling overwhelmed and we have a duty to care for ourselves as well as others.  It’s fine to stop for a moment and ask yourself “am I okay?”

Is it normal to feel anxious?

This is a very different and potentially stressful situation at present.  Whilst recognising that we’re entering a phase where all of us are having to live and work differently and adopt new behaviours, anxiety or worry is perfectly reasonable in abnormal situations.

This will become ‘the new normal’ for a period.  What we need to do as individuals, is recognise that by pacing ourselves as much as possible, we can be of more benefit to others and ourselves.  It is important to be patient with yourself, your family and the small number of Essential Workers that we still meet as we adapt and learn new ways of temporarily living.

Top five tips in dealing with anxiety:

Manage your media exposure

Reading and watching lots of news can sometimes increase anxiety and cause confusion.  Check reliable sources and keep up to date with relevant advice.  Limit the amount of time spent checking social media and try to avoid replying to personal views and opinions.  For up to date advice we recommend checking the gov.uk website for national updates.

Create your safe space

Have a safe space in your work and home environment.  Working from home can induce anxiety and stress as this is extremely new for most people and it can be difficult if families are also in the same environment.  Create a space or room within your house that you can go to and not be disturbed.  Equally if you are at work, find somewhere that can allow you some quiet time away from the factors making you feel anxious.  For those of you not working (parents, I know you have a full time job right now and I include you in this), try to apply the same principles – if only for a very short period – to allow yourself to have a moment to reset yourself.

Check-in

Remember to speak with family and friends and be open about how you feel – let them know you are dealing with anxiety. By speaking to others this will allow you to control how you are feeling and help to share ways in which you can cope with any feelings of anxiety. Try virtual chats as well as text and email. Face to face interaction (virtually) can be really useful to reduce anxiety rather than text alone.

Encourage and stay positive

We are all vulnerable in a situation like this and those people who are normally our rock to lean on, may well be feeling a little anxious too.  It is important to help each other by encouraging and reminding how good a job everyone is doing.  If you notice, any changes in the behaviour of those around you, do a little communicating to help support them and by return it’s likely they will do the same.  This could be your partner, your Pharmacist, your boss or your own child… we are all in this together.

Support

For people who have pre-existing mental health conditions, and even those who haven’t previously been affected by mental health, being in a situation like this might lead them to disclose a new mental health problem that won’t have been discussed before.  Remember to treat any disclosure with respect and understanding, as everyone will react different.

If you would like to talk to one of our professional counsellors, either via telephone, or video call, we are more than happy to help you at any time.

1. Stress affects everyone.

Everyone feels stressed from time to time. Some people may cope with stress more effectively or recover from stressful events more quickly than others.  There are different types of stress – all of which carry physical and mental health risks.  A stressor may be a one time or short term occurrence, or it can be an occurrence that keeps happening over a long period of time.

Examples of stress include:

• Routine stress related to the pressures of work, school, family and other daily responsibilities
• Stress brought about by a sudden negative change, such as losing a job, divorce, or illness
• Traumatic stress experienced in an event like a major accident, war, assault, or a natural disaster where people may be in danger of being seriously hurt or killed.  People who experience traumatic stress often experience temporary symptoms of mental illness, but most recover naturally soon after.

2. Not all stress is bad.

Stress can motivate people to prepare or perform, like when they need to take a test or interview for a new job.  Stress can even be life-saving in some situations.  In response to danger, your body prepares to face a threat or flee to safety.  In these situations, your pulse quickens, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, your brain uses more oxygen and increases activity – all functions aimed at survival.

3. Long-term stress can harm your health.

Health problems can occur if the stress response goes on for too long or becomes chronic, such as when the source of stress is constant, or if the response continues after the danger has subsided.  With chronic stress, those same life-saving responses in your body can suppress immune, digestive, sleep, and reproductive systems, which may cause them to stop working normally.

Different people may feel stress in different ways.  For example, some people experience mainly digestive symptoms, while others may have headaches, sleeplessness, sadness, anger or irritability.  People under chronic stress are prone to more frequent and severe viral infections, such as the flu or common cold.

Routine stress may be the hardest type of stress to notice at first.  Because the source of stress tends to be more constant than in cases of acute or traumatic stress, the body gets no clear signal to return to normal functioning.  Over time, continued strain on your body from routine stress may contribute to serious health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses, as well as mental disorders like depression or anxiety.

4. There are ways to manage stress.

The effects of stress tend to build up over time.  Taking practical steps to manage your stress can reduce or prevent these effects.  The following are some tips that may help you to cope with stress:

• Recognize the Signs of your body’s response to stress, such as difficulty sleeping, increased alcohol and other substance use, being easily angered, feeling depressed, and having low energy.
• Get Regular Exercise. Just 30 minutes per day of walking can help boost your mood and reduce stress.
• Try a Relaxing Activity. Explore stress coping programs, which may incorporate meditation, yoga, tai chi, or other gentle exercises. For some stress-related conditions, these approaches are used in addition to other forms of treatment.
• Set Goals and Priorities. Decide what must get done and what can wait, and learn to say no to new tasks if they are putting you into overload.  Note what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.
• Stay Connected with people who can provide emotional and other support.  To reduce stress, ask for help from friends, family, and community or religious organisations.

5. If you’re overwhelmed by stress, ask for help from a health professional.

Everyone suffers from stress, so it is important to remember you are NEVER alone.

We hope that that that you have found ‘5 things to know about stress’ useful. You may also find NHS’ guidance on stress useful too! Find the link here. If you wish to talk to our team or experts, you can use our FREE ask an expert service here.

Together, we CAN and we WILL beat eating disorders. Recovery is possible, and a person’s chance of making a full and sustained recovery is greater if they can quickly get into treatment that will address the thoughts and feelings that cause the eating disorder. This is why pushing for early access to treatment, both when someone first develops an eating disorder and in the case of relapse, is key.

In a recent survey by ‘Beat’ – the UK’s leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders – they asked almost 1,700 people about experiences of going to GPs for an eating disorder and found that the results were very mixed, showing that getting help from the GP is a lottery.

What does this mean?

In no way does this mean that speaking to your GP isn’t helpful. What it shows is that sharing the same illness as others doesn’t necessarily mean we will deal with it in the exact same way. Therefore, speaking to the right person/people is a very important and sensitive decision.

Counselling can be useful for anyone who wants to explore the way they’re thinking or feeling, as well as anyone experiencing a problem or issue they are keen to resolve. People may choose to speak to a counsellor because they feel they cannot speak to their other half, friends or family about such personal issues – or they may simply wish to speak to a professional with an objective viewpoint.

Counselling can help you to understand yourself better and the way you think, which will ultimately help you develop a clearer understanding of your journey. The more information you have, the easier it becomes to work your way through any difficulties you are facing, so that eventually, you can come out the other side feeling more positive.  It can also help you understand other people’s points of view better, which can shed light onto the way you interpret situations and the behaviour of others.

We have experienced counsellors that are trained to a degree level and qualified to offer support in multiple therapy categories.

So often, what we say to others can sometimes have a knock-on effect, affecting relationships and the way people see each other. Counselling works with this problem and offers you the space and freedom to explore your own thoughts with an unbiased party.  It allows you to build a trustworthy relationship with a therapist, therefore, sensitivity and empathetic understanding from all of our counsellors ensures comfort and openness.  Their therapeutic relationship encourages you to explore issues, emotions and situations in your own time and at your own pace.

If you are unsure whether or not you need to speak to a counsellor, why not try our FREE ‘ask an expert’ service online and speak directly to one of our therapists. They will be able to offer you their professional advice and guidance where you can then make a decision.

Counselling can be useful for anyone who wants to explore the way they’re thinking or feeling, as well as anyone experiencing a problem or issue they are keen to resolve. People may choose to speak to a counsellor because they feel they cannot speak to their other half, friends or family about such personal issues – or they may simply wish to speak to a professional with an objective viewpoint.

You don’t always need to feel that you have something huge going on to want to speak to a counsellor, either. If you’re just having a bad day, you can talk to us.  Or it may not be you that needs to talk, but somebody you know.  Counselling can apply to every single one of us at any time.

Counselling can help you to understand yourself better and the way you think, which will ultimately help you develop a clearer understanding of your journey. The more information you have, the easier it becomes to work your way through any difficulties you are facing, so that eventually, you can come out the other side feeling more positive.  It can also help you understand other people’s points of view better, which can shed light onto the way you interpret situations and the behaviour of others.

Our experienced counsellors are trained to a degree level and qualified to offer support in multiple therapy categories. These range from simple one-on-one discussions, to more specific therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural, Solution Focused, Motivational Interviewing, Person Centred and Neuro Linguistic Programming.

So often, what we say to others can sometimes have a knock-on effect, affecting relationships and the way people see each other. Counselling works with this problem and offers you the space and freedom to explore your own thoughts with an unbiased party.  It allows you to build a trustworthy relationship with a therapist, therefore, sensitivity and empathetic understanding from all of our counsellors ensures comfort and openness.  Our therapeutic relationship encourages you to explore issues, emotions and situations in your own time and at your own pace.

If you are unsure whether or not you need to speak to a counsellor, why not try our FREE ‘ask an expert’ service online and speak directly to one of our therapists. They will be able to offer you their professional advice and guidance where you can then make a decision.