The researchers of happiness had long been in agreement; the shape of life fulfillment was U-shaped. Wellbeing of people generally declined in the middle of life but later on in old age it went back up. The ill being, which was gauged by stress, anxiety and depression, were humped alongside it and had a peak at middle age.
However, a significant global study of PLOS One (August 2025) indicates that this trend is no longer the case.
Rather, ill being is now declining gradually with age. The reason? The current generation of youths is facing mental agony than ever before.
From a U-Shape to a Downward Slope
The study examined the information covering the United States, the United Kingdom, and 44 additional countries during 2020-25. The authors analyzed millions of responses using surveys like U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), UK Household Longitudinal Survey (UKHLS) and Global Minds Project.
Their findings are striking:
During the 1990s-2010s, middle aged adults had highest chances of experiencing despair, anxiety, or depression.
Youth distress has soared up the ladder ever since the mid 2010s, that today young adults below 25 years of age record the highest levels of ill being.
The previous hump of mid life indifference that had been a reliable indicator has been flattened and in its place a gradual increase in mental distress with age.
Evidence: Youth Distress on the Increase.
It is not an insignificant statistical spike, but it is a fundamental change in mental health across the world.
Hospital visits: Emergency department visits of children and teens with mental health increased tremendously during 2016-2019 in the U.S.
Drug use: Prescription of antidepressants among the adolescents and young adults has increased in U.S. and UK.
Trends in suicide: Suicide has become the fourth leading cause of mortality among individuals aged 15-29 years in the world. The U.S. teen rates rose by 70 percent between 2008 and 2020.
Education effect: Chronic school absenteeism in the U.S. increased by 17.6 to 29.6 between 2017 and 2021, respectively, and given as a reason anxiety and depression.
Such alarming signals point to the fact that the young population is left to bear an inordinate amount of mental distress.
Global Confirmation
Using information on 44 countries, the research indicates that it is the same trend all over. Poor health as sadness, fear, anxiety or suicidal ideation decreases in old age. Global Minds Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) showed that:
Almost half of individuals aged below 25 years were in the at risk category about poor mental health.
Those women who were below 25 were especially vulnerable with 53 per cent in the clinically at risk versus 41 per cent of men.
In comparison, older adults also always reported higher levels of mental health.
Why Is the Mental Health of the Youth Decreasing?
The paper cites some of the potential causes:
Economic strains: The young adults who joined the labor market following the Great Recession experienced stagnant salaries and poor housing prospects, causing long-term wellbeing traumas.
Inadequately funded mental services: Reduction in government spending on health has denied people access to care in time and increased suffering.
COVID-19 pandemic: Although the downturn began previously, the pandemic aggravated the distress in youths, making the isolation and uncertainty worse.
Smartphone and social media use: There is mounting evidence that demonstrates a causal relationship existing between excessive social media use and an unfavorable mental condition among adolescents, particularly among young women. The studies of natural experiments in the U.S., UK, and Europe prove that the higher the access to broadband and smartphones, the higher the risk of depression and suicide.
Why This Matters
The consequences of this mental health crisis of the generation are extensive:
Physical condition: The state of anxiety and depression may decelerate recovery and exacerbate chronic diseases.
Education: Negative mental health is associated with poor attendance and learning disability that compromises future human capital.
Employment: Mental illness is taking away more youths in the labor force thus lowering productivity and economic growth.
Social stability: Suicidal tendencies and hopelessness are becoming a threat to the welfare of all communities in the world.
Moving Forward: What Can Be Done?
The fact that the happiness U-curve is fading away is not just a statistical novelty but a piece of evidence. In case the situation with youth mental health does not improve, the next generations will be subjected to long-term disadvantages.
Scholars indicate the immediate priorities:
Invest in the mental health services, especially among the youth.
Redesign the school systems to combine emotional wellbeing with academics.
Meet the economic stressors such as affordable housing and employment.
Limit the use of social media and promote more healthy digital behaviors.
Conclusion
The famous saying that life is better as one grows old has been partly correct but not due to the reasons why we thought so before. The elderly people now seem to be happier not because the struggle of the middle life is getting lighter, but because the young ones are in much more struggle.
This historic research highlights a universal fact mental health of youths is in crisis. It is not something to be addressed as it is important in creating healthier societies in the coming decades.
Reference
Blanchflower DG, Bryson A, Xu X. The declining mental health of the young and the global disappearance of the unhappiness hump shape in age. PLoS One. 2025;20(8):e0327858. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327858