Are we more likely to become depressed and unhappy when we hit middle age? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. First of all, we would have to define middle age and take into account all sorts of influential factors before reaching a conclusion. Secondly, depression can occur as a result of life circumstances such as divorce, redundancy, relationship problems, as well as genetics, environment and health, or for no apparent reason at all. Depression can also occur at any age, regardless of background, culture or socio-economic status.

No one knows exactly why some people develop depression and others don't but what is known is that it is a worldwide problem. According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 450 million people have a mental health problem. Now, a recent research study has indicated that we are indeed more likely to become depressed during middle age than at any other time of our lives.

The Study - "Is Well-Being U-Shaped over the Life Cycle"

This study, the biggest of its kind ever undertaken, is soon to be published in the highly respected journal 'Social Science and Medicine'. The results have highlighted that we are most likely to be unhappy during middle age. In fact, the most likely age to become depressed in the UK was 44 regardless of gender, whereas in the US there was a gender difference in that it was 50 years of age for men and 40 for women.

The study conducted by researchers from Warwick University in the UK and Dartmouth College in the USA involved more than two million people and included data from 80 different countries. What the results showed was that irrespective of wealth, status or gender, no matter if you had children or not, whether you were divorced, married or single, the pattern was consistently the same.

Our happiness levels peak in our 20's and then dips dramatically during middle age only to rise again in later years. Why this should be the case is not known although the researchers suggest that it is something that happens deep within the human being and touched on possible theories.

For example, perhaps when we are young the world is our oyster so to speak and we feel we can do or be anything we want, whereas in mid life, a sort of reality check takes place where we realise that our life's ambitions may never take place and we have to redefine our goals and aspirations. If we can accept who we are and our own limitations then we will get through it relatively unscathed. Later in life we may well find that we have experienced loved ones and friends dying and are just happy to still be around. Finally, as happier people live longer lives, this could possibly have influenced the results.

Regardless, the results of this study would indicate that during the middle years of life, our feelings of well being and our mental health are not as good as they were or how they might be later in life. So what does this mean when we consider depression? Are people in middle age are more prone to depression? If so the news that it is perfectly normal to feel unhappy during this period may help some people to cope better during mid life. However, we must also be careful not to attribute real depression as something to expect just because we are in our forties or fifties.

Clinical Depression

Clinical depression can be described as persistent low moods and loss of interest in activities that were once pleasurable to the extent that it interferes with our ability to carry out our normal daily routines. This is completely different to the low spirits or feelings of sadness that we can all feel from time to time but which passes after a short period. If you are clinically depressed then the feelings don't just go away.

Diagnosing depression can be problematic too as patients will often arrive at their doctor complaining of other problems such as joint aches and pains, headaches or stomach problems and are reluctant to admit to feeling depressed. Others may choose not to seek help at all. If we feel that life is a struggle when we reach our middle years and we are finding it difficult to cope on a day to day basis, we shouldn't be complacent about it and think it will just go away. Untreated depression can have serious consequences and should never be ignored or passed off as normal. The good news is that with support and professional help, depression is treatable no matter what age you are.