Birthday Depression

Birthday depression, also known as birthday blues or birthday sadness, is having a general feeling of sadness during or around one’s birthday. The reasons may include being upset about aging, having a history of mental illness, having high social expectations, getting pressured to feel happy, being in dysfunctional families, and nostalgia. This condition is not included in the DSM 5 but most mental health experts acknowledge that some people particularly feel sad during their special day and that they could benefit from professional help.