How to deal with birthday depression (birthday blues)?

Despite the delicious cake that accompanies you on your birthday, the presence of all your loved ones, or unexpected gifts that make you very happy, do you feel sadness and unhappiness that is not easy to describe? If your answer is yes, then why? birthday depression (birthday depression) or birthday sadness (birthday blues) Maybe.

Birthdays, which for many are a fun and happy day and driven by the enthusiasm of celebration, can be sad for some. This condition, called birthday depression, is defined by feelings of apathy, indifference to birthdays, or thoughts that aging is a bad, hopeless, and sad development.

What Causes Depression on Your Birthday?

Birthday depression is not defined as a mental health problem in the DSM-5, the diagnostic manual for psychological disorders. However, due to negative emotions and situations such as stress, anxiety, and anxiety, specialists deal with this issue as the birthday approaches. Among the possible reasons for this negative mood is the fear of aging. According to experts, various factors such as trauma, anxiety, negative childhood birthday memories, and depression can trigger birthday sadness.

Hope for the Depression Research Foundation’clinical psychologist working in Dr. Ernesto Lira de la Rosanotes that many of the symptoms associated with birthday depression are similar to those of depression:

• Constant mood swings for several days, including birthdays
• Feeling sad or lower than usual
• crying more than usual
• Thoughts about the past, unattainable goals (marriage, having children, etc.)
• Lack of energy and motivation to do something
• Indifference to what normally gives pleasure
• Sleep disorders
• appetite changes
• difficulty focusing
• physical pain
• I want to avoid my birthday
• Indifference to birthday celebration
• desire to isolate oneself

Renowned Clinical Psychologist “The above signs, including but not limited to, may indicate that you are experiencing birthday depression.” He speaks.

Ways to deal with birthday depression

If you are experiencing feelings similar to the situations above, you can take a look at methods you can try to overcome birthday depression. Here’s what you can do to make birthdays more peaceful and less sad:

1. Allow your emotions

Not everyone has to enjoy their birthdays; So there is no need to worry about this day. If celebrating your birthday brings you sadness instead of joy, start by accepting your feelings without judgment and letting them feel. Maybe when you allow yourself to feel that sadness, you can better understand why you feel this way and relieve some of your sadness.

2. Develop compassion for yourself

No matter how you feel, remember to be kind to yourself. Blaming yourself or making yourself feel different is useless; on the contrary, it worsens the situation. Instead of running away from yourself, try to be kinder to yourself to reduce the pressure on you.

3. Talk to someone you trust

Express your feelings to a friend, family member, someone you trust, a loved one. Share your feelings and impressions of your birthday. Maybe another person goes through a similar process on their birthday and can express that they understand you; Hearing this will make you feel better.

4. Celebrate your way

Not everyone has the same understanding of the holiday. If hosting big parties or celebrating a birthday in a large group doesn’t give you pleasure, then feel free to consider the options that work best for you. This is your day and you have the right to celebrate it however you want. If a good birthday is just a date or two to eat cake with someone you love, go for it. Or what’s on your mind…

5. Manage your expectations

Revealing unmet expectations on your birthday can lead to disappointment. You may have wanted to buy a new house, change your car, or move, but just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it never will or can’t be replaced. By managing your expectations and moving forward in small, accessible steps, you can reduce the chance of disappointment.

6. Accept aging

Although society often tells us that we should be afraid of aging, aging is a completely natural process. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, we get happier as we age! Is not that great? Now that you know this, you may be able to overcome your birthday depression and embrace aging with love.

7. Be grateful

Unfortunately, it’s in our nature to focus more on the negatives; We are more inclined to see the glass as half empty. But we can get rid of this habit by turning it into the habit of being grateful. Write down or simply think about everything in your life that you consider worthy of gratitude. Be grateful for each of them, and by focusing on the positive instead of the negative, you will be able to deal with your disturbing emotions more easily. You can be grateful to your loved ones who remember your birthday, for the gifts that make you happy, for the words of love you hear, or for a delicious piece of cake…

If all of this doesn’t work, or if you’re having a hard time coping with the intense negative emotions you’re experiencing, you can get support from a professional and move forward together to discover the causes and solutions that cause birthday depression.

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