International research shows that the old trend of malaise in the middle age no longer exists; Today young people are the most affected by the mental health crisis
For a long time, the researchers believed in a phenomenon called “peak of unhappiness”. The mental health of people followed a U -shaped model, slowly falling after childhood, reaching its worst of about 50 years and improving in old age. But this logic no longer applies.
A recent study by Dartmouth CollegePublished in the scientific journal Plos onAnd he showed that this phenomenon has disappeared on a global scale. Today, young people are already weakened at the early adulthood – and instead of improving, it is fallen over the years.
What the data reveal
To reach this conclusion, the researchers analyzed the data from over 10 million Americans between 1993 and 2024, as well as 30,000 families of the United Kingdom between 2009 and 2023. So they expanded the study to almost 2 million people in 44 countries in the project in the project project Global mindsFrom 2020 to 2025.
The result was clear: the “peak of unhappiness” so called no longer exists. While the mental health of adults over the age of 40 remains relatively stable, the young people of the youngest fell drastically. As the authors wrote: “Mental malaise is greater among young people and decreases with age. This is a great change in relation to the past, when mental malaise has reached the peak in the middle age. The reasons for change are contested, but our concern is that today there is a serious mental health crisis among young people who must be faced.”.
Possible causes of the crisis
Among the factors that could feed this worsening are:
- The long -term effects of the great recession and their consequences in the labor market for the youngest;
- Subfiniti mental health services, with difficulty in satisfying the growing demand;
- Emotional and social impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic;
- Intensive use of social networks, which can increase comparison, anxiety and loneliness.
However, researchers strengthen further studies to fully understand the change of this trend.
What does it mean
If before the middle age was seen as the critical point of emotional well -being, now the concern turns to young people. The discovery illuminates a warning for governments, schools and families: the mental health crisis in this age group is serious, growing and must face urgently.
The disappearance of the “peak of infelity” shows that young people, who should be a period of discovery and vitality, is increasingly marked by emotional challenges. The future, therefore, depends on the recognition of this problem and the investment in collective solutions to ensure well -being for the new generations.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
