Mental Health News

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Interestingly, scientists have found what they believe is the unhappiest year of the average person’s life using mental health statistics.  That year begins on your 44th birthday.  Scientists from the United States and the United Kingdom have studied happiness amongst people in over 80 different countries to come up with this new bit of information.

It appears that overall happiness in life is something like a depressing U-shaped curve.  According to their research, your overall happiness begins to go down as you get older in life, until it hits rock bottom when you reach 44 years of age.  At that point you remain at your most depressed for a few years, before your overall happiness levels start increasing again.  That is, if you still have good health. 

Those manage to make it through their rock bottom years, dealing with depression in a positive manner and still have good health will begin to see their happiness levels increasing again. 

Andrew Oswald, professor of economics at the University of Warwick in England worked with a colleague to analyze the data on happiness and depression levels.  They found a surprising similarity of results across the board, for rich, poor, average, married, divorced, single or other.  Just about everyone, no matter their life circumstance experiences this particular happiness curve in their lifetime.  

Professor Oswald states that the most plausible explanation for these mental health statistics results from people excepting their own limitations.

Most people start out thinking they can accomplish anything when they are young.  As they grow older they begin encountering challenges, moving into different careers, life circumstances and dealing with problems they just can’t defeat.  Once we reach middle age we realize that we can’t accomplish anything and enter this low level of happiness for a period of time.  The key to raising one’s happiness levels seems to do with accepting these limitations and focusing on what can be done to live a fulfilling life.