You may be familiar with the term ‘Birthday blues’, which is described that a large number of people experience birthday blues. It is a psychological condition that happens due to the reminder that we are getting older every second, and time is passing us by. Symptoms include restlessness, sadness, irritation, anxiety, hopelessness, and fear. Other symptoms include stress, the feeling of worthlessness, and loneliness.
According to studies, more than 90 percent of adults in the United States celebrate their birth anniversaries in some form.
Birthdays allow us to acknowledge ourselves, reflect on our past and look forward to the future. However, for some, birthdays represent another moment to count their days on earth.
There can be several reasons exists why a person may experience birthday blues. In some cases, a person may feel like they are not wanted or they do not belong to the family. They may feel unwanted and unloved. In some instances, they may feel like they are a burden to their family and friends as they get older.
Birthdays can remind others of something important they miss in life. They may feel like their life has passed them by. Birthdays may evoke strong feelings of regret or loss. So in this post, we will examine some prominent reasons and how to control birthday anxiety.
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Reasons Behind Your Birthday Anxiety
There can be several significant reasons behind birthday anxiety. You may feel unwanted, unloved, or do not belong to your family.
It can evoke strong feelings of regret and loss in your life. People who suffer from depression may have a strong feeling of hopelessness and difficulty remembering significant past events. People suffering from anxiety or panic attacks may find themselves suffering from intense fear or worry about the prospect of having another birthday.
a. Social Phobia
Failures or disappointments on past birthdays can trigger the birthday blues. Birthday anxiety may also keep a person from remembering important dates, which may result in a person having a social phobia. They may be reluctant to attend social events because they fear being the center of attention.
b. Old Age
For older people, birthdays remind them of their advancing age and the realization that birthdays do not come anymore. They may experience a sense of sadness or remorse because they are getting old. They may become depressed or anxious because of their worries about the future.
c. Flawed experience
If you have had a terrible past birthday, you may have anxiety about birthdays. You may have a fear of facing the same bad experiences again. Your birthday may remind you of everything causing stress in your life.
d. High expectations
People who expect so much on a birthday may have birthday blues. It may make their birthday so depressing or stressful. It may lead to disappointment and broken promises. They may expect too much from others, such as gifts, overwhelming celebrations, or to be the center of attention, which can lead to disappointment.
e. Overly obsessed
People who belong to some groups and religions may tend to pay a lot of attention to their birthdays, which becomes an obsession. They may become obsessed when thinking about their birthdays and have such high expectations for themselves that they end up feeling depressed or anxious. It becomes tough to please them, and this leads to disappointment.
How to Overcome Birthday Anxiety?
There are many ways to overcome birthday anxiety. One possible solution is to reframe the negative thoughts around birthdays to positive ones, such as appreciating yourself and taking some time to relax or go out for a few hours to celebrate with family and friends.
Here are some tips for reducing birthday blues:
a. Learn about anxiety
Read up about anxiety and read about other people’s experiences with anxiety. It will help you to become more familiar with anxiety, and learning to know other people’s experiences will help you to deal with them.
b. Understand how to relax
Relaxation can help to decrease anxiety by improving physical and emotional health and reducing stress levels in the body. It will help you to feel better and reduce symptoms of anxiety.
c. Don’t give in to your fears
Don’t give in to your fears, and stop overthinking about your birthday. Anxiety can stop you from enjoying your birthday, and it can also lead to depression. Remember, many people celebrate their birthdays by forgetting their worries. Remember that there is nothing more important than your feelings. So, forget your anxieties and enjoy your day.
d. Think about the good things about having a birthday
Think about all the good things about having a birthday, such as getting gifts, having your family and friends around, receiving wishes from your loved ones, getting hugs from your loved ones, and more. These will help you forget about your anxieties and enjoy your birthday.
e. Think about something that makes you laugh
Try to find funny things and laugh as much as possible. It doesn’t take much time to laugh and helps relieve tension and anxiety. You will have a chance to enjoy your birthday.
f. Don’t compare yourself with others
You may see your friends celebrating their birthdays in flashlight shows and expensive dinners while you have just had a simple lunch with your loved ones. So comparing yourself with others will only make you more anxious and depressed. So it is better to avoid comparing yourself with those around you.
g. Don’t make high expectations
Expectations make everything so stressful, and you won’t enjoy your birthday anymore. So it is better to have realistic expectations for your birthday to enjoy it to the fullest. Remember, birthday celebrations depend on your attitude and your expectations. When you expect the least, you will likely get the biggest surprise. So when it comes to birthday celebrations, don’t build high expectations and enjoy whatever comes your way.
h. Don’t isolate yourself
Try to spend time with your loved ones. Enjoy their company and get into fun activities with them. Your friends and family will be more than happy to spend time with you, and you can enjoy their companionship on your birthday. Socializing with your friends and family will help you to enjoy your birthday more.
i. Get together with friends, family, or co-workers
Good Companion can make our special days more special. So try to get together with friends, family, or co-workers. It will make you feel better and reduce your anxieties about your birthdays because you’ll have a smile and laugh throughout the day.
j. Keep your mind busy or diverted
Try to keep your mind diverted by doing some activities or things you like. Doing some activities or engaging in hobbies will help you relax your mind and divert your attention from birthday blues. Exercising also helps to reduce stress and increase relaxation.
What you learned from all this?
It is not difficult to get rid of birthday blues. You need to apply the above tips in your life and see how it helps improve your birthday blues and makes you enjoy your birthday to the fullest. So here we have discussed some easy and effective ways to fight off birthday blues, and you must try them and see how it works for you.