After I turned 40, my birthdays depress me

A reader realized that after turning 40, each birthday brings a bout of depression.

We asked readers to channel their inner Carolyn Hax and answer this question. Some of the best responses are below.

Dear Carolyn: My birthday is tomorrow, and ever since I made 40, I get in a major funk leading up to the day. In theory I don’t care about my age; I plan on staying young at heart, trying new things, keeping my body moving, etc., for years to come. I didn’t even realize it was tied to my birthday until it happened three years in a row. I accept the down days for what they are — just a temporary roll in the ditch — but wonder if there’s a better way to deal with that. This is the first year I’ve been on meds for my years-long recurring depressive episodes, and it still happened. Yesterday I could barely get out of bed.

In the past I used to treat my birthday as a template for the rest of the year. I’d do things that light me up and make me feel alive. Where did that enthusiasm go?

Already a subscriber? Log in

Username or Email Address

Password

Remember Me

View subscription options