Posted on 06/18/2010 4:05:56 PM PDT by neverdem
If you are suddenly feeling confused about whether to greet middle age with open arms or dread, it is understandable. In recent weeks, researchers reported that Americans in midlife are a remarkably contented lot, and that they also have the highest rate of suicide.
So what is going on? Is middle age the best of times or the worst?
First, the positive side of the ledger. A new study of a Gallup telephone poll that essentially took a snapshot of how more than 340,000 respondents felt on a particular day...
--snip--
Myrna Weissman, an epidemiologist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, offers a more intriguing theory. She believes that the baby boom generation has a higher incidence of depression than previous ones. Dr. Weissman, who first published her theory more than 20 years ago, said, “We did predict in 1989 that there could be an increase in suicide attempts and suicide as that cohort, which was showing very high rates of depression, aged.”
Asked why boomers would be particularly vulnerable, Dr. Weissman speculated: “That’s a cohort that came to maturity when there were great social changes, more instability, more divorce and separation, more moves, an increase in drug use, and war.” As for those happy midlifers? “They’re different people,” she said with a laugh, “less vulnerable and subjected less to these adverse life effects.”
Dr. Eric C. Caine, co-director at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide at the University of Rochester Medical Center, agreed that the postwar generation was big enough to contain the happiest and the most desperate.
“Both can be true,” he said. “You can argue that at this time of life there is a lot of satisfaction, but this population is so large, you can still find those who don’t fit that profile.”...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Happy not to be one, but you know this is all bull shite.
I just don’t pay attention to anyone who has anything to say about suicide anymore, because they’re all full of crap.
The explanation is simple.. UNION WORKER=:) NON-UNION WORKER=:( ===[ ]= BOOOM!
“If you’re happy and you know it, slit your wrist..” {clap, clap, clap}
I thought more about suicide as a teenager then during middle age. ;-)
I don't think it is anything at all to do with divorce, personal social changes, etc. I think the root of it is them (us) seeing the striking fundamental change in our (once) society into a mishmash melting pot of inclusionism, preference, non-assimilation (except for assimilating into our social welfare and benefit programs), and general new generation's penchant for falling for age-old socialist bullshit from slick talkers like our Muslim/Kenyan President
You only need to stop and talk to a nose-ringed, pink/blue/purple haired person and ask them what they want,feel, desire to find that out. You need only to actually stand behind a few of the WalMart aisles any day of the week to see the welfare queens (perfectly dressed and clothed) flashing and using their EBT cars or the WICs certificates to garner all the free junk food. You only need to physically go to a social security office and marvel at the lack of traditional 'greyhairs' filing for their pensions to be replaced by foreign 'citizens' there figuring out the rules of how to get their parents on SS in the minimum number of quarters. You need only.......there are hundreds of other examples. It isn't the boomers, it isn't even the greatest generation. It is the result of a generous American culture established in the mistaken belief that all who come to its shores will see the true way and assimilate. They are not.
One or the other folks....can't have it both ways. Unless of course they're stating all boomers are bi-polar.
I intend to live to 100. And I also intend to rip off the gov’t of every penny I can after I retire. I also intend to die owing a whole lot of taxes that can’t be paid. I will be in Jesus’ land and having a glass of wine and a laugh.
it is easy to understand why anyone would want to kill themselves at midlife. We just keep getting uglier. LOL. I kid. I kid. Self care and spirituality etc become very critical at this juncture (at least for me). The only hope is either enjoy and don’t care, take much better care of oneself, and or find a God that is not you and if it is then bring on the challenge!
Blueberry ameliorates hepatic fibrosis
Brown Rice vs. White Rice: Which Is Better?
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Aren’t most boomers about 10-15 years passed midlife at this point? The oldest boomers are now around 64.
Here is my bold assesment of boomers. Many are happy, many are just ok, others are slightly unhappy but do allright, and then there are those that are plain unhappy. Finally, there are a certain number who are very unhappy and suicidal.
“Asked why boomers would be particularly vulnerable, Dr. Weissman speculated: “That’s a cohort that came to maturity when there were great social changes, more instability, more divorce and separation, more moves, an increase in drug use, and war.” As for those happy midlifers? “They’re different people,” she said with a laugh, “less vulnerable and subjected less to these adverse life effects.” “
SOCIAL CHANGE. Once again, unintended consequences of the liberal agenda.
Maybe they are blowing their brains out because they see the SOB in the White House destroying the country. After all, that is very depressing because no one in the government will do anything about it!!
Now if they were good sports, they'd use the LAST round for themselves....
Baby boomers were raised with a recipe for unhappiness.
To start with, they were told they were better, smarter, and more capable than those who lived before them. That their possibilities were endless. That their wishes would come true, and that satisfaction and life fulfillment were theirs for the asking.
Then they were raised in a time of both real prosperity, and prosperity borrowed from the future. Thus they reveled in materialism, while cursing it; felt deep spirituality, while spurning religion; proclaimed their moral superiority, while delving into progressively deep perversity; and strove for healthy living by taking legal and illegal drugs of every variety, and engaging in other profoundly unhealthy behaviors.
And suddenly, they are no longer the children they always wanted to remain. Reality rears its ugly head and casts its cold stare in their direction. The fantasies of their youth are exposed as lies and dross.
And the future they borrowed from is calling the debt before it can be passed on to other generations.
They may feel great because they got what they want. But they also can tell that it’s not going to last.
As a Boomer born in 1951, I am exceedingly happy with what I have reaped from the previous five decades of life—not necessarily monetarily, but in the areas of family, relationships, spirituality, and rewarding work experiences. However, I find that in terms of our country and culture, it appears that wrong is now right and up is now down. The best word to describe it is NOT “suicidal,” but “GRIEF”—grief at what has been lost. It’s a feeling of “we can never go back.” It’s great sadness coupled with overwhelming blessing—if that makes sense.
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