Young people struggle against the lack of independency, while elderly – from the idea of approaching of death. But the ones who go through the hardest times are, as scientists believe, those “over 40“. Moreover, the peak of this crisis takes place around the age of 44. Earlier studies in this area showed that psychological health of the person does not depend on the person’s age. Yet, specialists from University of Warwick, Dartmouth College in the U.S. opposed those results.
The Age Study
They conducted one of the largest studies in the area of psychological health. Two million of respondents from America, Europe and some other countries were questioned during the study. The scientists organized the data they received into a “chart of happiness”. According to this schedule, people accept themselves the most during their youth and when they hit the retirement age, while the middle age seems to be the unhappiest and the most challenging period for them.
Respondents
The scientists were very careful when selecting the respondents for their study and did their best to ensure that the range of people who participated in it included all kinds of social groups, nationalities, income statuses, interests, and so on. The results of the study were practically consistent regardless of the category that the person belonged to: either it was a wealthy or a poor person, one with a family or a single, male or female.
Why We Are Happy in Youth
Specialists presented a couple of theories at ones which commented on the reasons behind such tendency. Some believe that during our youth we are filled with aspiration and wishes which seem to be quite accomplishable at that time. But as years pass we go through various disappointments, and feel like giving up or reconsider our personal values.
When Life Is Not Easy
Andrew Oswald, one of the developers of the study, noted that by far not everyone can become a rock star or an outstanding soccer player. They said that reality hits us with the problems and hardships of life when we reach the age of 30-40. But as we grow older we learn to accept the truth of life and start to feel more comfortable about it. By the age of 50 most people already are in the process of overcoming this psychological fall.
Why We are Happy in Youth
Perhaps, realization of the fact that such state is a natural matter for this particular age will help go through this period and by the age of 70, of course, if our physical health is in relatively good condition, we can be as happy and psychologically healthy as we were during our twenties, the scientists believe.
