Indicators of despair—depression, suicidal ideation, drug use, and alcohol abuse—are rising among Americans in their late 30s and early 40s across most demographic groups, according to new research.
These findings suggest that the increase in “deaths of despair” that researchers have observed among low-educated, middle-aged, white baby boomers (born 1946–1964) in recent studies may begin to impact the youngest members of Generation X (born 1974–1983) more broadly in the years to come.
