these 4 years are the worst years of our life according to science
According to a study conducted by the Spanish researcher Begoña Álvarez, some years are less conducive to happiness than others.
Over the course of a lifetime, we go through moments of happiness, like darker times. Throughout our existence, our personality is forged as memories are engraved. In childhood, we dream of growing up and we love freedom, even more in adolescence.
But once you reach adulthood, you understand that this comes with many responsibilities, and that life was sometimes more beautiful in the past. In other words, whatever our age, we often feel dissatisfaction. According to one study, four years would be particularly difficult to live. We explain why.
An In-Depth Study of Happiness
In psychology, science generally has the answer to all the questions we ask ourselves. To determine which years are the least conducive to happiness, Spanish researcher Begoña Álvarez embarked on a study in-depth, published in the scientific journal Social Indicators Research. To carry it out, she surveyed 28,000 people over the age of 50, and asked them how they viewed their lives.
Originally, she especially wanted to know what were the happiest years of our lives. But, thanks to her research, she also obtained the result on the opposite question. She asked her respondents three things: Was there a time when you were happier than the rest of your life? If the answer is yes, when did this period begin? And when did it stop?
These four years of our life are the least conducive to happiness
Then, the researcher crossed all the results she obtained, and this allowed her to determine the period least conducive to happiness. According to this study, it is between the ages of 10 and 14 that we are the least happy, that of adolescence therefore. Often, this is when we begin our puberty – although not always at a specific age, as it varies from person to person.
It is a period when childhood moves away to make way for adolescence and the many questions we ask ourselves. We also pass certain milestones, since we leave primary school for college. So it takes time to get used to all these changes.
How to recognize a teenager who is not well?
As someone close to a teenager, you have surely noticed that he is different from usual. There are certain signs that can alert you. For example, he may have stopped listening to you, or he is very often irritable, or even aggressive. A young person who feels bad about himself also tends to isolate himself and/or to devalue himself, and to have poor school results. As in adults, these signs may indicate depressionand you must not let your guard down.
How to help a young person who is depressed?
If for you, adolescence is probably already far away, how can you make this period more pleasant for a young person around you? To make him feel as good as possible about himself, make sure to support him in the hardships he may face, by remaining attentive and open to his questions.
Also try to encourage him to indulge in a passion, such as an artistic practice or sport that could help him grow. Also, don’t make the mistake of comparing him to another kid his age, and always celebrate his wins, even the “small”. Finally, in the most complex cases, the help of a professional may be necessary.
