Bad News: Miserable Mid-Life? Good News: It's Not Just You!

Have you noticed things bottoming out in your mid-40s? An unexpected dip in your mood -- is your glass much less than half full? Before you reach for that prescription for upbeat-in-a-bottle (this is my problem with a perfume called Happy made by a company called Clinique -- it sounds like a prescription drug for mood swings) consider this: all your peers may be feeling the same way.

According to MSNBC, a new international study indicates that from America to New Zealand and everywhere in between, mid-life -- well, it sucks. It seems to possibly have something to do with reality sinking in: the things we expected to have, do, get, accomplish in our lives are receding like hairlines and notches in our belts.

The good news? Happy days are up ahead. Like the song says, "The sun will come out -- tomorrow." Or next decade -- by 53, for the most part, we're over it.

The study also says men linger in the downswing a little longer.

There, doesn't that make you feel better?

Check it out on MSNBC:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22896014/

-- J. Louise Larson