7 Healthcast: Depression & age

What makes us happy? Winning the lottery, prayer, romance, to name a few.

From self-help books to motivational speakers, Americans spend millions every year just trying to be happy.

That search can be a lifelong pursuit.

But, according to a new study, your age may matter most.

Researchers interviewed more than one million people worldwide without looking at income, marriage or education.

They found we're happiest when we're young and when we're old.

So, how about the in between? Those are the mid-life blues.

Researchers say men and women in their 40's are most down in the dumps, with a peak area of depression around age 44. So, why the dip?

"Middle years are tough for most people," said clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Stan J. Katz. "We start to wonder about our accomplishments and what we really have accomplished and what our legacy will be."

The depression wasn't linked to any specific event such as divorce or job changes. Researchers believe it may be that at middle age, perhaps we realize some of our long-held aspirations are out of reach, so we begin to adapt, as we get older.

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