The Psychology of Valentine's Day

Thank you for listening and supporting This Might Help.Valentine's Day is celebrated as a modern (often consumeristic) holiday; however, it has a very old (and pretty odd) history. This episode unpacks what the research says about the so-called “Valentine’s Day Blues.” We discuss whether the holiday impacts psychological well-being and how this might have changed over time. From milestone anxiety to the mental health benefits of gratitude, friendship, and self-expansion, this episode offers practical, evidence-based ways to protect (and even boost) your wellbeing, whether you’re single, partnered, or happily opting out altogether. 💌 You can find us on socials @thismighthelppodcast - ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠TikTokThe full video version of this episode is available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@thismighthelppodcastSome of the key research we chat about can be found below:Braithwaite, S., & Holt-Lunstad, J. (2017). Romantic relationships and mental health. Current opinion in psychology, 13, 120–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.04.001Buenconsejo, J. U., Fincham, F. D., & Datu, J. A. D. (2023). The perks of being grateful to partners: Expressing gratitude in relationships predicts relational self-efficacy and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applied psychology. Health and well-being, 15(4), 1472–1489. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12447Jans-Beken, L., Jacobs, N., Janssens, M., Peeters, S., Reijnders, J., Lechner, L., & Lataster, J. (2020). Gratitude and health: An updated review. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(6), 743–782. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1651888Lange, R., Jerabek, I., & Dagnall, N. (2022). Do the ‘Valentine’s Day Blues’ Exist? A Legacy Report on a Purported Psychological Phenomenon. Journal of Scientific Exploration. McIntyre, K. P., Mattingly, B. A., Stanton, S. C. E., Xu, X., Loving, T. J., & Lewandowski, G. W., Jr (2023). Romantic Relationships and Mental Health: Investigating the Role of Self-Expansion on Depression Symptoms. Journal of social and personal relationships, 40(1), 3–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221101127 If you or a loved one needs further support, we strongly encourage you to speak with your GP, psychologist, or another qualified healthcare professional.Additional support can be found through:Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636 LifeLine - https://988lifeline.org/get-help/ 13 11 14 Headspace - https://headspace.org.au 1800 650 890 (for those aged 25 or under)