The Happiness Curve Had Always Been U-Shaped, But Generation Z Has Turned It Into a Straight Line by Age 20.
For years, happiness was described as a U-shaped curve. But that regularity seems to have disappeared. The pandemic is unsettling the way we understand well-being throughout life.
The happiness curve that ceased to exist
Studies had confirmed the ups and downs of human well-being. However, a recent study based on millions of surveys conducted between 1993 and 2025 in over 40 countries has revealed an unprecedented shift: happiness not only no longer follows a U-shaped curve but becomes a downward straight line.
People are starting to report high levels of dissatisfaction from as early as their 20s, and this trend barely improves over time. This phenomenon is global, more pronounced in English-speaking countries, and especially among women. According to experts, “the study breaks one of the most cited regularities in social sciences: the happiness U-curve has disappeared.”
From the midlife crisis to the quarter-life crisis
Previous warnings about deteriorating youth mental health have now been confirmed as a structural change: the existential crisis is no longer limited to the 40s but starts as early as the twenties. Reports and research have been warning for years that those under 30 are more susceptible to chronic loneliness, anxiety, and lack of purpose.
Now, the crisis starts even earlier. The data is so surprising that it could even influence policies.
Beyond social media: a structural malaise
Although social media often takes the blame, researchers point to a more complex set of factors. Economist David G. Blanchflower argues that it’s not just social media but how it has displaced vital activities: “mobile devices have eliminated spaces for play, conversation, and healthy leisure.” On the other hand, psychologist Jean M. Twenge points to overprotective education that has led to low frustration tolerance in young people.
The future of a generation marked by unhappiness
If happiness is linked to longevity, the future looks grim. Science not only warns of a statistical trend but of a vital crisis affecting millions. Although the causes are multiple, the consensus is clear: action is needed to address this growing issue.
