Depression During Midlife Crisis: How to Find Relief When the Happiness Pattern Takes a Dip to Depression

A study on happiness by researchers from Warwick University verified a U-shaped happiness pattern among its 50,000 men and women subjects from Britain, Germany and Australia. The findings were based on assessments of the participants throughout their lives. This is the first study to monitor the same set of participants for a full cycle assessment, yet it is not the first study to determine the U-shape happiness pattern among individuals from other countries and from different times.

The subjects were monitored from childhood until later advancement in age. Their happiness levels were measured according to a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 is the happiest rating.

The researchers found that the subjects' happiness peaked the highest during childhood, which seems consistent with adult memories of childhood being the happiest time of their life. The happiness trend dipped lowest somewhere within the ages of 40 to 42 and peaked once more after they reached 70. While the study indicated no possible reason for depression from ages 40 to 41, it did indicate that dip in happiness level has not been linked to the presence or absence of children in the family.

Dr Terence Cheng of the University of Adelaide, Professor Nattavudh Powdthavee of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics and Professor Andrew Oswald of Warwick University collaborated on the study. The findings were published in the Economic Journal.

A few of the links to the dip in the U-shape of the happiness pattern that have emerged include frequency of exposure to stress, imbalanced or poor lifestyle choices, poor diet and health conditions. While a consensus is yet to be developed for a full understanding of the U dip, a few helpful practices to alleviating the midlife depression that sets in during midlife crisis are: choosing healthy food, developing a sustainable exercise program, creating a healthier work-life balance, mindfulness, developing new interests that affirm potentials and capabilities.