Probably common, but my birthday has been depressing for years. Mine is right around the corner, and I'm dreading the happy birthday phone calls from family. Normal phone calls cause anxiety in me and hours of planning to be able to return, but these are worse because I know each one will begin with the words, "Happy Birthday!" followed by 40 minutes of unsolicited advice that is neither helpful nor original.

Birthdays are always unhappy for me, but this year is the worst because it was one year ago that I moved back in with my parents hoping to get my life back together. Well, that year is over, and I'm nowhere near back on track and haven't even been able to decide which of the possible paths I could choose I need to be following.

It would be lovely if I could just freeze time and stop the world for a while. I'm wrestling with big decisions that cannot be made lightly, but with 31 right around the corner, I no longer feel okay about drifting from one direction to the next. I usually feel I should trust my gut and my instincts, but they have been unable to give me a clear signal for a while.

[Rohag]

The 'celebratory' phone calls don't help. Is there any way to be unreachable on your birthday? Might you make it a day of 'undisturbed reflection?'

[jpny]

Originally Posted by OPRMC

Probably common, but my birthday has been depressing for years. Mine is right around the corner, and I'm dreading the happy birthday phone calls from family. Normal phone calls cause anxiety in me and hours of planning to be able to return, but these are worse because I know each one will begin with the words, "Happy Birthday!" followed by 40 minutes of unsolicited advice that is neither helpful nor original.

Birthdays are always unhappy for me, but this year is the worst because it was one year ago that I moved back in with my parents hoping to get my life back together. Well, that year is over, and I'm nowhere near back on track and haven't even been able to decide which of the possible paths I could choose I need to be following.

It would be lovely if I could just freeze time and stop the world for a while. I'm wrestling with big decisions that cannot be made lightly, but with 31 right around the corner, I no longer feel okay about drifting from one direction to the next. I usually feel I should trust my gut and my instincts, but they have been unable to give me a clear signal for a while.

I feel the same way that you do! I've hated my birthday ever since I turned 16, first time I tried to commit suicide. It was a very difficult time not just the teen years playing them self out, having problems with friends and a very violent, abusive step-parent! Ever since then I get extremely depressed a few months before and after my birthday. I have 2 more months before I turn 39+...makes it even more unbearable, although last year was the first birthday without my mother who pasted away...I don't know how I made it though or how I'll make it through this year.