UCL Study Finds Declining Happiness Among Youth
The stereotypical mid-life crisis may no longer be the emotional low point it once was.
Historically, life satisfaction has followed a U-shaped curve, dipping in middle age and rising again later in life. However, the new data suggests that this "unhappiness hump" is fading, replaced by a steady decline in happiness beginning in early adulthood. The findings, cited in a report by New Scientist, reveal that unhappiness now peaks at a much younger age.
While the mental wellbeing of middle-aged people has remained relatively unchanged, there has been a marked shift among younger adults. “The unhappiness curve has flattened,” the UCL researchers explained, “with young people now reporting significantly lower levels of happiness than in previous decades.”
This trend is supported by the World Happiness Report 2025, which noted that young adults—once thought to be in the prime of life—are increasingly struggling. The report states: “Young adults across the globe face growing mental health challenges,” particularly in North America and Western Europe, where they now report the lowest wellbeing across all age groups.
Internet Access Tied to Lower Wellbeing in Wealthy Nations
One possible culprit? The internet. The UCL study found a strong correlation between internet access and lower happiness among younger populations—especially in high-income, English-speaking countries like the UK and US. In regions with less internet access, such as Tanzania, young people without internet access reported being significantly happier than those constantly connected.
This concerning shift has also caught the attention of policymakers. Earlier this month, David Sacks, a White House official leading America’s AI policies, warned that the US is in the midst of a youth mental health crisis.
As digital life increasingly dominates the formative years of adulthood, the traditional mid-life crisis may be giving way to a new and more alarming trend: a quarter-life crisis.