Young People’s Mental Health: The End of the Happiness Curve
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The Disappearing Unhappiness curve: A Global shift in Mental Wellbeing
Table of Contents
The Traditional Unhappiness Curve
A widely documented phenomenon, the ‘unhappiness curve’ describes an increase in concern, stress, and depression with age, peaking around middle age (approximately 50 years old) before declining in later life. This pattern has been observed for decades, but recent research suggests this may be changing.
New Research: A Shift in Wellbeing
A new study lead by David Blanchflower of Dartmouth College, published in PLOS One, indicates that the unhappiness curve may have disappeared, alongside the corresponding ‘happiness’ curve. This shift is potentially linked to a deterioration in mental health among young people.
As 2008, a U-shaped trend in age and wellbeing has been observed in both developed and developing countries. This trend showed a decline in wellbeing from childhood to around age 50, followed by a rebound in older age. The new data challenges this established pattern.
Data Analysis: United States and United Kingdom
the researchers analyzed survey data from the united States and the United Kingdom to investigate this potential shift. The US data included responses from over 10 million adults surveyed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 1993 and 2024. UK data, collected from 2009 to 2023 through the UK Household Longitudinal Study (involving 40,000 homes), was also examined.
The analysis revealed that in both the US and the UK, the discomfort curve has disappeared. Discomfort and unhappiness now tend to decrease throughout life, with no significant change observed among individuals over 40. This disappearance appears to be driven by a decline in mental health among younger populations.