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Young and old happiest as depression peaks in middle age

29/01/2008

For both men and women in the UK and US depression peaks in people's 40s, a new study of mental wellbeing has found.

In the UK the average peak for being most miserable was 44, while in the US women's depression peaks at the age of 40 and men's at the age of 50.

The findings are based on an analysis of data from two million people from 80 nations by researchers at the University of Warwick and Dartmouth College.

They discovered that happiness follows a U-shaped curve, with happiness higher towards the start and end of our lives and leaving us most miserable in middle age.

This is contrary to some previous studies which claimed that psychological wellbeing stayed relatively flat and consistent throughout life.

The U-shaped happiness level was found to be the same in numerous countries from all continents.

Writing in the journal Social Science and Medicine, the researchers say mid-life depression stems from something "deep inside" humans and is not caused by having young children in the house, divorce, or by changes in jobs or income.

"What causes this apparently U-shaped curve, and its similar shape in different parts of the developed and even often developing world, is unknown," said Professor Andrew Oswald.

"However, one possibility is that individuals learn to adapt to their strengths and weaknesses, and in mid-life quell their infeasible aspirations.

"Another possibility is that cheerful people live systematically longer. A third possibility is that a kind of comparison process is at work in which people have seen similar-aged peers die and value more their own remaining years. Perhaps people somehow learn to count their blessings."

The researchers add that realising low-moods are "completely normal" in middle age "might help individuals survive this phase better".