Middle-age is truly depressing - PBX Info :: Your Free PBX, PABX and Telephone Information Resource

***papa-bear*** · 01-30-2008, 07:09 PM

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSL2957448420080129?sp=true

Middle-age is truly depressing, study finds Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:04am EST

By Michael Kahn

LONDON (Reuters) - Middle age is truly miserable, according to a study using data from 80 countries showing that depression is most common among men and women in their forties.

The British and U.S. researchers found that happiness for people ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe follows a U-shaped curve where life begins cheerful before turning tough during middle age and then returning to the joys of youth in the golden years.

Previous studies have shown that psychological well-being remained flat throughout life but the new findings to be published in the journal Social Science & Medicine suggest we are in for a topsy-turvy emotional ride.
"In a remarkably regular way throughout the world people slide down a U-shaped level of happiness and mental health throughout their lives," Andrew Oswald at Britain's Warwick University, who co-led the study, said on Tuesday.

The researchers analyzed data on depression, anxiety levels and general mental health and well-being taken from some 2 million people in 80 countries.

U-SHAPED PATTERN

For men and women the probability of depression slowly builds and then peaks when people are in their forties -- a similar pattern found in 72 countries ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe, the researchers said.

About eight nations -- mostly in the developing world -- did not follow the U-shaped pattern for happiness levels, Oswald and his colleague David Blanchflower of Dartmouth College in the United States wrote.

"It happens to men and women, to single and married people, to rich and poor, and to those with and without children," Oswald said. "Nobody knows why we see this consistency."

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.

But the good news is 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 the average persons in the modern world, the dip in mental health and happiness comes on slowly, not suddenly in a single year," Oswald said. "Only in their fifties do people emerge from this low period."
=========================

No wonder I want to win the lottery right now.

***JulianW*** · 01-31-2008, 11:02 AM

I'm glad I was a happy teenager, from the sound of this it could be really bad by the time you're in your 40's if you were a depressed teenager!

***Lmo*** · 01-31-2008, 12:02 PM

I hated being a teen ager; could not wait to get out of my parent's home and away from their stupid rules. I also hated Catholic school.

The 20's were somewhat better; there were still a fair number of rules, but by that time, I had a home of my own and knew that some rules were ok, and that if I followed them, I could maintain my own home and not return to my parent's. I spent a lot of my 20's at work to pay for that home and the independence it stood for. By the end of my 20's, I had a husband and an ex husband.
I joined Nortel as a field installer when I was 32. Yee haw! Life BEGAN!!! I was all over the country on their dime and had the time of my life...most every day. Oh yeah, I worked a lot, too, but I had plenty of money for all the fun I wanted to have. And I had a lot. I rode it, I bought it, I ate it, I drank it, I owned it, I did it. All. I wasn't home much and by now, had 2 ex husbands.
I met a nice Grobian when I was 41, and got laid off from Nortel at 42. Brought the Grobian home and we live a comfortable life now. This house is just about paid for. Still got a bunch of the toys Nortel bought me and a so-so job that does not offer much challenge. We're heading for a change, though, I start a new job on the 19th.
Depressed? Not hardly!

***MSYoung*** · 01-31-2008, 12:37 PM

I am very happy for you, sounds like you managed to beat the odds. Saw the news item and I can relate some. I would not like to go back to my 20's, too much angst. According to the story I am on the upside of the bell curve now and I plan to retire in about five years. Life is good.

Java_Bob · 01-31-2008, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSYoung

I am very happy for you, sounds like you managed to beat the odds. Saw the news item and I can relate some. I would not like to go back to my 20's, too much angst. According to the story I am on the upside of the bell curve now and I plan to retire in about five years. Life is good.

dang, me too 5-6 i hope. lets have a party

***Lmo*** · 01-31-2008, 12:52 PM

I do have a couple of friends, though, that wish they could be 20 again. One male, one female, so it's not a gender thing. I feel kind of sorry for them, because they seem to think that life is over and they are both like 42. I guess this means that they feel like all the good times are gone and things aren't going to get any better. I would never want to be 20 again. I might do some of the 30's more wi$ely, but I don't know that I'd want to be 30 again, either.

***MSYoung*** · 01-31-2008, 12:59 PM

The only thing I would want is if someone came by and said they could remove 40 years but leave me where I am with all that I know and have. I might consider that.

***Lmo*** · 01-31-2008, 01:53 PM

Wow, I can't imagine that guy in a kilt being 40 years younger!
Hotter than hell!
Marty, you probably would not be near as cool as you are now, and you'd probably have one of those impossible to be around attitudes. You would also probably lose your fan club.

***MSYoung*** · 01-31-2008, 03:17 PM

I wouldn't want to lose the fan club.

Guess I better stay here.

Looks like we'll have to have the party in five years, Bob.

***Lmo*** · 01-31-2008, 03:28 PM

If you boys invite me to the party, I'll bring you some nice, fresh prunes!

oh wait. YOU will be the prunes. In that case, I'll bring you some de-caf coffee and soft cookies.

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