This month’s theme is emotional well-being, and it got me thinking—how is the science of happiness evolving through research and AI?
For years, psychology and neuroscience have explored what makes us happy. Growing up, I believed that youth was the happiest phase of life and that I should brace myself for the crisis that midlife might bring. Yet, contrary to this traditional belief, I have found my happiness increasing with age. This personal reflection led me to question whether the well-known U-shaped curve of happiness across the lifespan still holds true.
Recent research suggests that emotional well-being is far more dynamic than we once thought. While studies previously indicated that happiness dips in midlife before rebounding in later years, newer findings suggest that happiness actually increases steadily with age. Life experience appears to play a key role, strengthening emotional resilience and shifting our focus toward what truly matters.
However, a deeper look at the research raises an interesting paradox: rather than highlighting an increase in midlife happiness, much of the discourse focuses on the growing struggles of younger generations. To accept this perspective would suggest that happiness does not necessarily increase with age, but rather that the declining well-being of younger generations skews the comparison. This raises a crucial question:
Is midlife happiness truly rising, or are we simply viewing it in contrast to the growing struggles of youth?
While this perspective is worth considering, I prefer to explore alternative explanations for increasing happiness in midlife—ones tied to autonomy, stability, and confidence. With age, we gain a greater sense of control over our lives, develop a clearer understanding of our values, and become less susceptible to external validation.
Perhaps happiness isn’t about simply escaping the struggles of youth but about growing into a deeper, more sustainable sense of well-being.
At the same time, our evolving understanding of happiness is being shaped not just by personal experience and research but also by technology. AI is increasingly being used not only to analyse but also to enhance emotional well-being, raising new questions about how we navigate our emotions. Just the other day, a client shared an intriguing experience—she had turned to AI for answers about her emotional struggles. In response, AI generated a surprisingly thorough and insightful analysis, breaking down why she was feeling this way and offering actionable steps to improve her mental health.
My reaction was twofold: first, a fleeting sense of being outmanoeuvred by AI—had technology just sidestepped the relational depth that has long been considered essential to counselling? Yet, alongside that was genuine admiration for the clarity and depth of its response. It left me wondering: Are we entering an era where AI can provide meaningful emotional support and is it possible for AI to enhance traditional therapeutic methods?
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