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The Mental Impact of Birthdays
Birthdays can have a big impact on us mentally. How we approach them differs according to our life experiences, cultural factors and individual perspectives. March is my birthday month, and I will say that I have mixed feelings when it comes to my birthday. On one hand, I want to be celebrated and acknowledged. On the other hand, I sort of want to ignore the day and hide out. I’m sure that I’m not alone in these types of contradictory thoughts.
When it comes to a birthday, we tend to reflect and self-evaluate. We spend time thinking about our setbacks, achievements, and overall growth. This can either leave us feeling very accomplished, or very disappointed if we are not where we want to be. It’s also on our birthdays that we begin to think more about aging and mortality. This can cause additional anxiety as we get older and feel our next birthday rapidly approaching.
It’s not all bad though. Birthdays are a time to foster social connections and belonging. When we hear from old friends and relatives on our special day, it can make us feel happy and appreciated. Conversely, those who are more isolated might feel lonely or disappointed if someone they expected to reach out didn’t.
Additionally, with birthdays, there is some pressure to celebrate even if you don’t want to. This can either cause undue stress or be an occasion for fun depending…
