 Besides other reasons for depression, do you think birthday depression is real? Well, it turns out birthday depression is actually real, where the person with birthday blues doesn't have any friends or family, as it is common among elderly people who often spend their birthdays alone. Birthday depression may even result in self-inflicted deaths. A study of persons aged 75 and over published by Barraclough BM and Shepherd DM titled Birthday Blues, the Association of Birthday with Self-inflicted Death in the Elderly found that in the 30 days before and after a birthday, the rate of self-inflicted deaths increased. This is because, as a researcher revealed, people's morale are greatly affected during their birthday season. A study published by American Academy of Neurology found that birthday stress made people with a history of high blood pressure have a higher chance of having a stroke or heart attack on their birthday. The study also mentions a woman who developed anxiety symptoms around her 75th birthday because her mother had died at 75. Let's define what birthday depression is. According to Urban Dictionary, birthday blues or birthday depression is a general sadness or feeling down by a person on or around his or her birthday. A person feeling birthday blues should know that it is normal to feel this way and should be supported by his or her family and friends. Symptoms of Birthday Blues According to Bethany Cadman, the author of Dr. Vanilla's Sunflowers, these are some of the symptoms that indicate that someone is suffering from birthday depression. Some of these symptoms can also be noticed in person with chronic depression. Person with birthday depression might experience being tired and on enthusiastic in the days approaching their birthday, feeling sad and unable to figure out a reason why or shake off the sadness, feeling mildly paranoid or anxious beforehand and on the day itself, losing their self-confidence or self-esteem, difficulty concentrating and inability to stop thinking about the approaching birthday, wanting to avoid contact with people including family and friends, trouble falling asleep or waking in the night thinking about the birthday, losing their normal appetite, having physical aches and pains, having thoughts of self-harm or suicide in severe cases as a birthday approaches. Which set of people can experience birthday depression? As National Best-Selling Author of the book, Captivate, the science of succeeding with people and founder at Science of People, Vanessa Van Edwards posits, people who can experience birthday depression include person who have few friends, family members and loved ones. This set will experience birthday depression owing to the fact that they do not have anyone to spend their most important day with, persons with insincere friends. Where a person thinks his group of friends are true but they are actually fake, they may still feel empty on their birthday, notwithstanding the fact that these fake friends come on their birthday, they will feel empty because these friends are conspicuously insincere, toxic and unreal, persons battling anxiety. If a person is struggling with anxiety, they may have fears about their birthday, namely, they may be concerned about the people to invite to their birthday, where and how it should be celebrated, how they will carry themselves amongst their social circle. All of these concerns can breed anxiety or even depression, people who are introverts. Although introverts enjoy spending time alone, they may have anxieties about spending time with people on their birthday. People whose expectations are high concerning their birthdays can also experience birthday depression, where they are unable to meet all of these expectations it can lead to depression. Why people experience birthday blues? People can feel depressed on before or after their birthdays for so many reasons but some of those reasons include, aging, Milton Alter, PhD, told a story in the study published by American Academy of Neurology Journal. I recall a 74-year-old woman in a parent good health who dreaded her upcoming 75th birthday. As the day approached, she became more and more anxious. She kept her fears to herself because they did not make sense. The happy day arrived and was celebrated as planned. Only some 7 months after the event, was she willing to confide her worries to her doctor. She had vague complaints like a headache, dizzy spells and fatigue. But 3 different doctors found nothing more unusual than a rapid heartbeat. What caused her 75th birthday anxiety? She finally admitted that her mother had died at age 75 and she was convinced that she too was doomed to die at this age. Birthdays are clear reminders that we are getting older and yes, drawing closer to the grave. This can induce fear in some people and may grow into depression. Another birthday is simply a reminder that we are not getting any younger anymore and so birthday blues may come where a person thinks this would make him start to experience what all the people experience. High expectations Having high expectations about the birthday as it comes close can also induce depression. Where a person worries about who will come, how will he handle himself, what and where the birthday should take place, what gifts he would receive. This can grow into depression, lack of accomplishments. As birthdays draw closer, we may not be happy with ourselves owing to the fact that one is disappointed over the achievements he has made in his lifetime. Where a person considers where he is compared to where he should be in relation to his age, he may not be happy to look forward to his birthday. This may grow into anxiety or even depression. A feeling of dissatisfaction with accomplishments is usually a common reason for birthday depression. Social pressure Having observed so many birthdays in movies on social media or even with people you know, a person may feel their birthday celebration will never be good enough and so this may induce pressure which may lead to anxiety or depression. Dysfunctional family issues A person may want a perfect birthday but where the family is dysfunctional, always creating tensions, stress and sadness, it may spell birthday blues. For people who have toxic or abusive family members, birthdays may not be an exciting moment in their lives. Less excitement As we grow older, we may not feel as much excitement as we used to feel about birthdays when we were kids. This may cause birthday blues. If this video inspired you, like the video. We love you.