It is conventionally believed that life satisfaction is relatively high when people are younger, it then dips in midlife, only to rise again as people grow older. This is the pattern people have noted for many years, largely from 2005-2010. As surveys from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System also suggest.However, there has been a new finding that reveals that life satisfaction at a young age may be on the lower side, while it continues to grow as one ages. This has been a trend from 2022. This means that young people are not as happy as they used to be.The latest evidence comes from a survey that studied over 200,000 people in more than 20 countries. This study was published in the journal Nature on April 20, 2025, called the Global Flourishing Study.The scientists found that on average, young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 were struggling not just with happiness, but also with their physical and mental health, their perception of their own character, finding meaning in life, the quality of their relationships, and their financial security.What Does It Mean To Be Flourished?The researchers combined the survey findings to determine to what extent those surveyed were flourishing.To Flourish: As per the researchers means to live in a state where all aspects of life are good. The idea that young people are struggling is nothing new, however, this research reveals a global problem. The flattening of the curve, if one looks at the happiness and satisfaction index by age and the levels on a ten-point scale, it is clear that the curve of younger people is flattening. This is happening in many countries, including Brazil, Japan, Australia, and Sweden. However, in the United States, the difference between how the old and the young flourish was the most pronounced.Why?A separate 2023 report, under the Making Caring Common Project, found that young adults between the ages of 18 to 25 in the US have been reported to experience roughly twice the rates of anxiety and depression as teens. The report has also cited a number of factors, including:Financial worriesAchievement pressureLacking directionThings falling apartLacking in skills or talentsFamily stressorsSchool gun violenceWork stressorsChoice overloadFriend or social stressorsCrime ratesResearchers have also pointed to larger issues like climate change, the rise in the screen time of phone use, economic uncertainty and political polarization. Researchers believe that some of these issues were also exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because young people missed out on crucial moments in their development, particularly when it came to forming relationships and participating in the community. However, there is still a lot more research that needs to be done.What must compel people to think that countries where young people are satisfied, how are they able to achieve it? Whereas the countries where younger ones are suffering, it is high time we look at the "why".