Andrew Oswald's forthcoming economic paper titled "Is Well-being U-Shaped over the Life Cycle?" has been making waves across the news media this week for the suggestion that depression peaks around the age 44. Here's the press release from the University of Warwick.Using a sample of 1 million people from the UK, the researchers discovered that for both men and women the probability of depression peaks around 44 years of age. In the US they found a significant difference between men and women with unhappiness reaching a peak at around 40 years of age for women and 50 years of age for men.
They found the same U-shape in happiness levels and life satisfaction by age for 72 countries: Albania; Argentina; Australia; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia; Brazil; Brunei; Bulgaria; Cambodia; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Honduras; Hungary; Iceland; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Kyrgyzstan; Laos; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia; Malta; Mexico; Myanmar; Netherlands; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Norway; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Romania; Russia; Serbia; Singapore; Slovakia; South Africa; South Korea; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Tanzania; Turkey; United Kingdom; Ukraine; Uruguay; USA; Uzbekistan; and Zimbabwe.
The authors, economists Professor Andrew Oswald from the University of Warwick and Professor David Blanchflower from Dartmouth College in the US, believe that the U-shaped effect stems from something inside human beings. They show that signs of mid-life depression are found in all kinds of people; it is not caused by having young children in the house, by divorce, or by changes in jobs or income.
University of Warwick Economist Professor Andrew Oswald said:
"Some people suffer more than others but in our data the average effect is large. It happens to men and women, to single and married people, to rich and poor, and to those with and without children. Nobody knows why we see this consistency."
"What causes this apparently U-shaped curve, and its similar shape in different parts of the developed and even often developing world, is unknown. However, one possibility is that individuals learn to adapt to their strengths and weaknesses, and in mid-life quell their infeasible aspirations. Another possibility is that cheerful people live systematically longer. A third possibility is that a kind of comparison process is at work in which people have seen similar-aged peers die and value more their own remaining years. Perhaps people somehow learn to count their blessings."
This article puts my dating pattern into perspective. Since I was 18 or so, I've always gravitated toward two age groups: 28 and 44, and my significant successful (at least at that time) relationships attest to that. My unscientific analysis would say that 28 is the age when you've done all the fun stuff and are looking for something different, more substantial, like me (Yes, it's presumptuous to believe that I have substance, but indulge me, will you? I also admitted that I'm not fun). And by the time you reach 44, you are comfortable in your own skin and done putting up an elaborate facade around you. So that saves a lot of head games and agony, particularly because I hate surprises.
Now reflecting on this article's message, and the fact that none of those relationships lasted in the end, could it be that the 28 yr old ones were depressed about their impending 3-0, and grabbed anyone who was not a serial killer? And could it be that the 44 group just didn't care anymore and went out with me not because I had anything good to offer?
Not a good boost for my ego. After all, I met the love of my (past) life by answering an ad that said something like this:
"Tried the bars, didn't work. Tried being set up, didn't work. Now trying this, let's see"
Now that I know, maybe I should stop dating and commit myself into a monastary for life.
Or filter out everyone below 44, because we all know where it's gonna end up.
