Richest Nations are Also Most Depressed: Study

You might think economic prosperity and a high standard of living would make you happy, but it turns out it can be pretty depressing.

A new study incorporating interviews with more than 89,000 people in 18 nations revealed that 15 percent of people in high-income countries reported having been depressed, compared with 11 percent of those in low- or middle-income countries. Depression rates were highest in the United States and France, eclipsing poorer countries like Mexico.

Researchers interpreted the data as reflecting a difference in expectations, positing that the rich-poor discrepancy stemmed from situational depression rather than clinical depression, which is likely to be longterm and have its roots in biological factors.

"There are a lot of people in the U.S. who say they aren't satisfied with their lives," Kessler, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School, told Bloomberg. "U.S. expectations know no bounds and people in other countries are just happy to have a meal on the table."'

Another theory is that wealthier countries tend to be more socially fragmented and individualistic, with the pursuit of a career often taking precedence over family or spirituality.