Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Middle-age is truly depressing, study finds

According to a study using data from 2 million people in 80 countries, depression is most common among men and women in their forties.

"For the average persons in the modern world, the dip in mental health and happiness comes on slowly, not suddenly in a single year," Andrew Oswald (at Britain's Warwick University, who co-led the study) said. "Only in their fifties do people emerge from this low period."

One possibility may be that people realize they won't achieve many of their aspirations at middle age, the researchers said.

Another reason could be that after seeing their fellow middle-aged peers begin to die, people begin to value their own remaining years and embrace life once more.

Photo by: monkey wrench

But there is good news

The study found that if people make it to aged 70 and are still physically fit, they are on average as happy and mentally healthy as a 20-year old.

For sure physically you can't complete with a 20 year old physique, but who wants to be 20 again anyway? There were/are a lot of miserable 20 year olds. (Look at Britney Spears.) Let's not forget about all that angst and inner turmoil. I'm much happier now in my 30's than I was in my 20's. I think it really has more to do with being in a good place in your life, no matter how old you are.

Click here to read the entire article.

1 comment:

Sphincter said...

Damn you and that scarring photograph! What would have been a cute figure in another outfit has left me queasy.

I agree about the 30's. I was very happy to ditch the 20's. I feel like I have a much better idea of who I am now.