“For some, it could be tied to previous negative experiences with birthdays. Others may reflect on their lives and may not feel they are where they wanted to be by that specific age,” says Dr. Lira de la Rosa. “For others, birthdays can come during times when they are going through something difficult.”
Feeling down and anxious on your birthday is not that uncommon. These birthday blues may have different causes but typically go away on their own after a while. You might experience dread, irritability, and feel unmotivated for a few days before your natal anniversary.
Birthdays can remind us that we are aging another year. It's the “official” day that we are one year older, even though the day before our birthday we feel virtually the same. High expectations. Sometimes we are disappointed by not having expectations met by a birthday party, celebration, or gifts.
You might feel disappointed or like you haven't achieved what you expected to by a certain age. For example, maybe you thought you'd have more money saved up, own a house, or have a different job by this time in your life, and your birthday can be a reminder that you aren't there yet.
This could be anything from a fear of ageing, loneliness, past trauma, or even a friend flaking on your birthday plans. The important bit is to sit in these feelings and really interrogate why you're feeling the way you do, says King. Maybe you feel like you're behind in life with the approach of a milestone birthday.
It might be because there's something about birthdays that can bring out a bunch of conflicting feelings — excitement, dread, melancholy, gratitude, etc. It's no surprise that for some folks, crying on your birthday is pretty much a yearly tradition along with the cake and candles.
However, to some others, it no longer becomes a special day to celebrate, but it feels like another day that will eventually pass. The celebration of the day feels so unnecessary to do since there are many other things that require attention and be put as priority, hence celebrating birthday is no longer prioritized.
The birthday blues are real, people. If you find yourself feeling emotionally overwhelmed on your birthday, you're not alone. Birthdays are a tricky beast. Some people relish the thought of having a day dedicated entirely to them, while others retreat to the shadows at the mere thought of attention.
Move past your disappointment.
Rehashing the negatives of the day will not change the situation or the people you feel neglected you on your birthday. Thinking about it will not change what happened, but it will make you feel worse. Instead, redirect your thoughts and focus on something positive.
It might be because there's something about birthdays that can bring out a bunch of conflicting feelings — excitement, dread, melancholy, gratitude, etc. It's no surprise that for some folks, crying on your birthday is pretty much a yearly tradition along with the cake and candles.
The researchers attest that birthdays serve as “temporal landmarks,” which make us perceive our future selves as more distinct from our current selves—which in turn makes us more motivated to attain the improvements we perceive our future selves will have.
Not wishing someone happy birthday isn't always a negative thing, because it's sometimes a genuine mistake. That person is likely to remember a couple of days later and be so mortified by their oversight that they contact you and apologize, or send you a belated birthday message.
A birthday gives everyone the chance to feel special and appreciate how much their loved ones care for them. It is important to celebrate your birthdays, not just those of others!
Call your close friends . Tell them about your birthday . Either make a small party at home or ask them to come to a cafe . Chat with them .
This could be anything from a fear of ageing, loneliness, past trauma, or even a friend flaking on your birthday plans. The important bit is to sit in these feelings and really interrogate why you're feeling the way you do, says King. Maybe you feel like you're behind in life with the approach of a milestone birthday.
Not everyone feels happy on their birthday. For some people, birthdays can be a source of sadness, anxiety, and dread. Also known as birthday blues or the birthday effect, birthday depression can cause you to experience intense, negative feelings in the weeks and days leading up to and on your birthday.
Now while you may have imagined that the best time of year to have your birthday would be sometime in scorching July or August, the research, which was conducted by Dr. Oetker and looked at 2,000 adults, suggested the best day in the entire year to have your birthday is actually 15th June.