WINTER is depressing.

That is not just a personal view, it is a fact.

Lack of sunlight can affect the production of serotonin and lower levels of the hormone can affect moods, appetite and sleep.

Today is (unofficially) the most depressing day of the year, hence the nickname Blue Monday.

The combination of the lack of daylight, the financial pressures from the fall out of Christmas and nothing much to look forward to combine to make it a rather miserable sort of a day.

But all credit to the wonderful military charity Help for Heroes for turning a negative into a positive and that is indeed what its staff do on a daily basis.

The group has used the day to shine a light on the issue of depression and in particular the length of time it takes veterans to seek help if they are suffering from this curse.

The average wait is four years which also suggests there are some servicemen and women who endure much longer waits, sometimes decades, before they seek help.

Thankfully help is at hand and equally as thankfully the stigma surrounding mental health issues is waning.

Psychological damage can be as debilitating as physical injuries and should be given the same credence.

Those suffering can feel isolated and vulnerable.

We can all help. To use an old adage, a trouble shared is a trouble halved.

Listening to someone who is low can give them the support they need to face the world.

It is not reinventing the wheel, it is just an act of humanity.