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According to Urban Dictionary, birthday blues – also known as ‘birthday depression’ – is characterised by general sadness or feeling down during a person’s birthday.
It’s a bit weird since birthday celebrations are supposed to be a happy occasion whereby someone celebrates and has a good time. After all, birthdays are largely synonymous with cakes, cards, and presents.
But why do some people have unhappy birthdays? For some, a birthday is not a celebration but can be a day filled with depression, sadness, and feeling miserable about the world.
Another reason for birthday blues is that the person may feel upset about getting old for another year; feel disappointed about their life expectations not being met.
If you experience this, it is normal. What you are feeling is valid, and anyone can experience birthday blues. However, some researchers dismiss this phenomenon to be an urban myth.
But how can we deal with birthday blues? Here are several ways for us to have a happy birthday:
Plan in advance how you want to celebrate your birthday
Find the best way to celebrate your birthday. Birthdays are days on which it is acceptable to be a bit selfish. Your birthday can be anything you want it to be; plan and celebrate your birthday the way you want it. But do not fall into the trap of overplanning.
There are many blogs out there where you’ll find plenty of simple ways to make your day extra special. You may want to celebrate it with family and friends, or you can just be by yourself. Do what you have been dreaming of for so long. Haven’t spent time with family for a long time – a birthday is a great occasion, as you can gather all the relatives. Spend a lot of time at work and dream of getting out of the city. Do it! ‘Cause, this is your day. Take with you your personal duck hunting kayak that you were given last year and take a break from all the hardships of everyday days.
When we take responsibility for our own happiness on our birthday we reclaim it for ourselves and we’re giving ourselves a wonderful birthday treat.
Start your day right
Be grateful that you will be celebrating your birthday. For one, not everyone gets to celebrate their birthday – think of those who have a life-limiting illness.
Whether it’s your birthday or not, positive thinking is always an ideal way to kick off your day. Focus on what you have accomplished from the previous year; savour those moments to lift yourself and make yourself proud.
Set realistic expectations
It is important that you manage your expectations and be realistic about what to expect from your birthday. Take charge and be responsible for your happiness. Also, remember to be gentle and compassionate with yourself.
A simple way to do this is to develop a workout plan that works for you, and if you find that something doesn’t suit you, take a step back and refine your plans.
Reflect on your learnings as you grow older
Your birthday is the perfect time to reflect on yourself in a deep and meaningful way about what you’ve been through the past year.
Identify the things that you learned as you age. Focus on what you have accomplished. Count your big and small accomplishments; reflect on the life lessons you have under your belt and feel proud of your strengths and capabilities.
Takeaway
Research says feeling depressed in the run-up to your birthday is common; some say it’s only a myth. Nonetheless, society expects us to be happy on our birthdays.
There is no guidebook on how one should feel or behave during their birthday. It’s your birthday, you can celebrate it the way you want and you can feel it however you want. At the end of the day, it is up to us how we see things – whether it’s a happy or unhappy birthday, it’s still another added year worth living.
Dina Relojo is the social media manager of Psychreg. She is a teacher from the Philippines.
